Taper Begins. . .NOW!

This Sunday I ran my 12 miles before taper.  It was incredibly humid, like running though a jungle, but Heather and I got through it just fine.  We even kicked it up a notch in the last mile, mostly because I was so sick of running by then, and I just wanted to be done.

There were plenty of geese on the Towpath, and they were defending their goslings, so they were mean and scary.  I hate when geese hiss at you.  Freaking snakes with wings.

This is EXACTLY how those geese looked.

We saw plenty of turtles sunning themselves on logs in the river:

Look!  It's the Towpath Turtles! (See what I did there?)

I've been feeling a little soreness around the knees lately, so I pulled out the foam roller and HOLY GOD ALMIGHTY did that hurt like the bejesus!  I felt so much better afterward, though. I've got to bring that foam roller back into play more often.

This starts two weeks of tapering for me.  For those of you who don't know what tapering is, basically you cut down on your mileage in order to rest and recover before a race.  Most runners don't handle tapering very well; they feel antsy, and they want to hurt people.  Not me, though.  I'm cool as a cucumber. Really.  I'll be fine.  I will.

Wanna find out if the taper works out for me?  Join me in running (or volunteering) at the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon in two weeks. I'd love to see you there!  I promise I won't bite.  Much.

Until then, run happy, Peeps!

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

Learning through Running

The other day Shannon had a four-mile run on her schedule.  I asked her about it when we chatted in the hallway between classes.  "Oh, I didn't go.  I had to drive my kids to practice, and then (voice drops and falters) I went out.  I need to make it up.  Maybe I'll tack it on to today's run."

This is where I stopped her with unsolicited advice because--hey--ME.

"I would not suggest you add mileage to your run tonight, as you haven't established a base yet, and even one more mile would be a significant add-on at this point.  Let it go, learn from it, and move on."

Shannon sometimes suffers from injuries, but today she suffered mostly from guilt, and I would hate for her to hurt herself in an attempt to make up a lost run.  Too often we adhere to a rigid training plan, and when life gets in the way, we beat ourselves up.  Does that mean I should drop a run anytime I don't feel like getting out there?  No.  At this point in my running, I know what my options are when I feel like I need to bail, but it took me a while to figure it out.

I believe the first year of running is a way to learn more about yourself THROUGH running.  The added mileage and endurance is a plus.  When I explained this to Shannon, she asked, "What do you mean?  What do I need to learn?"

Here are some things I learned about myself through running:

1.  How and when I need to eat to have a successful run.  For example, if I run six or fewer miles, I know that I don't need to eat breakfast first.  I can just wake up, chug at least sixteen ounces of water, and lace up.  If I go longer, the rules change.  I need to wake up at least one and one-half hours before I leave, eat a bagel with cream cheese, drink coffee and lots of water, and spend some quality time in the bathroom.  I didn't learn this the first time I ran more than six miles.  It took me a good year to figure it out through trial and error.

Mmmm.  Food of the gods.  Except I definitely need cream cheese, and that coffee needs some Thin Mints creamer.

2.  Water is non-negotiable.  I HAVE to drink at least six 8-oz. glasses of water a day, more if I'm running.  If I run more than five miles, I have to carry my water with me or run where there are drinking fountains.  The pre-run hydration is the most important part for me, though.  Not drinking enough before a run is a bonk waiting to happen.

My favorite beverage.  I even like it more than I like wine!

3.  When I should run.  When I first started running, I ran with my friend Deidre after work.  Because we were both always so tired, both physically and psychologically, we rarely had good runs, and we were rarely able to push ourselves as much as we should have.  I have learned that with very few exceptions, I can't have a good run when I've been teaching all day.  It just doesn't recharge me, and my chances of bonking increase exponentially.  On the other hand, if I run in the morning, even as early as 4:30, I've set myself up for success.  My mood improves dramatically, and the runner's high carries me through the day.

Wake up!  It's time to run!

4.  How much sleep I need.  I've learned that I function just fine on very little sleep for short periods of time.  This means that if I whine to myself that I'm too tired to get up at 4:30 to run, I have to tell myself to suck it up and run.  I am not allowed to use lack of sleep as an excuse.

5.  When asked to try something new, my first response will be "No."  You should ignore this response because I will do said new thing anyway.  I don't know why I do this; I think I just don't like people to tell me what to do, even if it's something I want to do anyway.  I learned this from my running coach, who does a great job of ignoring me when I bitch and moan or even just say no.

6. My most efficient running weight.  I'm still trying to figure this one out.  This year I've lost about twenty pounds, and it's had a dramatic effect on my pace.  I've got to figure out how to balance my need to eat and drink everything I see with my desire to hit certain paces.

How much weight do I have to lose to get a PR?

7.  I am my biggest driver and harshest critic.  Nobody has higher expectations for me than me.  I have long-term goals, short-term goals that lead to the long-term goals, and secret goals.  I have tests that I give myself to see if I'm going to hit my marks.  I punish myself if I don't make it.  Sometimes I have to do a check-in with my coach to make sure I'm not being too hard on myself.  Sometimes I need to "fail" in order to get a reality check.  It's funny because I don't have impossible aspirations; for the most part I know that I am a middle of the pack runner, but I want to be the best middle of the pack runner I can be.

Everything I have learned so far doesn't just apply to running; it applies to ME and the way I live.  It is extremely valuable information, and it has taken me three years to get this far.  I'm excited about what I can learn in the running years to come.

This is the third week for the Towpath Turtles, our new runner group, and I can't wait to meet all of you on future runs.  The advice I have for you is the same advice I gave Shannon:  Take this time to learn about yourself through running.  You won't regret it.

Run happy, Turtles!

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

What Got Me Started

On Thursday morning I did 45 minutes of  a Tae Bo DVD I had bought about eight years ago.  I was amazed at how good it made me feel--especially in the core area.  As I punched, kicked, and jumped, I asked myself why I haven't been doing more Tae Bo lately. . .and I didn't have an answer.

Oh, Billy, I can't quit you.

I remember clearly the day I called the number from the Tae Bo infomercial.  I had decided that enough was enough.  I was tired of being fat and inactive, and I was tired of fooling myself into believing that I "wasn't that big."  The day my new tapes arrived (yes, they were VHS), I sat down with the first video and a bag of fat-free potato chips and watched it.  On the couch.  No movement, except to put the chip to my mouth.  That's how pathetic I was.

But.

I had paid for these tapes, so I intended to use them, and I did.  Everyday.  At first I thought I would die during thirty minutes of exercise, but gradually I was able to increase my fitness and my skills.  Eventually, through exercise and tracking my food choices, I lost about forty pounds.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I do Tae Bo after losing about forty pounds.

Tae Bo was a gateway drug for me.  I moved on to other challenges:  biking, walking, Bhangra dancing.  I loved all of it, but what I really wanted to do was run.

For nine years, I watched runners on the Blue Line run by my house for the Akron Marathon.  Eventually I had two children, and together we would cheer on the runners going by our house.  Each time a runner passed, and there were SO MANY runners, I was envious.  I wanted to be that strong person who was running so far, so fast.

On the tenth year I decided to do something about my jealousy; I joined the Towpath Turtles.  My original goal was to run a three mile leg of the Akron Marathon, but my newfound running club buddies convinced me that I had what it takes to run the half marathon.  And they were right.

I intend to write about the powerful influence of a running club later; today I want to take it back to what got me started, or more precisely, WHO got me started.

It was you, Billy.  If I hadn't ordered those tapes, if I hadn't stopped eating chips so I could try a jump-kick, I would never have been able to run 8.5 miles for FUN this morning.  I would never have run five half marathons and a gazillion other distances since 2011.  I wouldn't be blogging for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, an opportunity that excites me since it combines three of my loves: running, Cleveland's funky neighborhoods, and writing.

I look forward to sharing my journey with you.  I promise you that while I may take a few stutter steps now and then, I will NEVER go back to being that person sitting on the couch eating chips and watching exercise videos.  I have gained so much; I intend to continue forward.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I vow to continue to move forward.

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

Race Recap: Medina's Race with Grace

This week I got to indulge in Panera bagels TWICE:  On Saturday I ate a French toast bagel (new to me--yummy) because I did a long run, and on Sunday I ate a blueberry bagel because I ran in the Race with Grace 5k.

Saturday was the Towpath Turtles' practice relay race for the Akron Marathon.  This is where we support our Turtles Relay Team by running their legs of the race with them.  I chose Leg #3, which is 7.5 miles.  Our rock star relay runner was Erin, and this was her longest run to date.  She was fabulous!  We had a fun run in the sun, and Erin smiled the whole time.  She is going to have a great race on Saturday, September 27.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I yell, "RELAY!" instead of "Cheese!"  Erin is on the bottom right, next to me.

Bagel #2 (blueberry) was preparation for the Race with Grace, a 5k that provides financial support to those with breast cancer.  My friend Sharon, a Spanish teacher at our high school, organized a huge team of runners (over 50!) to race in the name of Brenda, a mother of one of our English teachers and a breast cancer survivor.  Sharon did a fabulous job of organizing Team Brenda, from nagging us for our entry fees to getting us team shirts and herding us (like cats) to a team photo.  I got a few photos of our team before the official group pic:

Some of Team Brenda before the official snapshot

Brenda, our namesake, with her husband and her daughter, Sherri

I tried to stir up some smack talk (and a possible betting opportunity) by attempting to pit two teachers against each other for the win.  Jordan (the chemistry teacher, and just a damn kid, by the way) predicted he would win the race in 16:30.  Ed (the math teacher) said he didn't feel like training to win (as he had just run in the 2014 Gay Games), so I felt rather deflated.  I've got a year to get this rivalry going.

Ed and Stephani: Who is the fast runner here?  Hint #1: Second place finish in the Gay Games Half Marathon.  Hint #2:  It's not Stephani.

Hanging out with my Medina running peeps for a good cause was really a great way to spend a Sunday morning, but as for the racing part. . .I'm not gonna lie; I wasn't feeling it, Peeps.  It was hot and humid, and I am kind of sick.  That's right; a week before the half marathon, and I don't feel well.    Nevertheless, I did the best I could.  I had to pull out my mantras extra early:  I can do this.  I can do anything for 25 minutes. . . 20 minutes. . .10 minutes. . .5 minutes.  You get the point.

Official Time:  26:49 (the start wasn't chip timed, so I lost more than 20 seconds by my Garmin), 8:39/mile
9th in my AG and on Team Brenda (!),  183/694 overall

I'll take it.  I'll also take a nap as soon as I get some laundry done.  (I'm just kidding about the laundry.)

Jordan was right: he won the 5k in 16:31--amazing!  Ed was right, too; he took second place (but only because he wasn't feeling it either).  Lauren (intervention specialist) took first place in her AG, and Allison (math teacher) took second place for women.   Team Brenda won for fastest race results!

This was a great day for a race, and I will definitely do this again next year.  Now for a real taper, and then I will see you at the Akron Half Marathon on Saturday, September 27!

Don't forget, Peeps, that I will be blogging for the Hot Chocolate 15k/5k in Columbus, which is on Sunday, November 15.  If you want to register early, use my code, TroubleRunHat, to get a free hat with your swag.  Join me--it's the sweetest race around!

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

Blue Line Test Run

I voluntarily woke up at 4:45 am on a Saturday to run the Akron Blue Line with a couple hundred crazy runners.  The Blue Line Training Run is a free event sponsored by Vertical Runner where runners can check out part of the course for the Akron Marathon and Half Marathon.  Other contributors were Northeast Ohio Fit, the Towpath Turtles, YMCA Marathon 101, and New Balance.  Thanks to these sponsors, runners had aid stations with water, Gatorade, and PowerBar Gels along the mapped out 12- and 20-mile routes, as well as goody bags with PowerBars.  Some lucky ducks even got free socks!

Runners starting to gather for the start.  I am in the bottom left corner in the pink shorts.  Photo credit:  Vertical Runner

David and I meet up at the beginning. 

I didn't get to run this event last year because of my broken foot, but I did run the aid station for the Towpath Turtles, which you can read about here.  I was so excited to run with my peeps: Joy, Mandy, Carrie, and Renee.  Even the sucky weather (soooo hot and muggy) couldn't keep us from having a great time.

I'm not gonna lie:  it wasn't easy.  I thought I was going to have a leisurely run through Akron, but the  Badasses I run with had different ideas.  I was just happy to be able to hang with them (even though, as I reminded them, I am MUCH older than all of them).  I definitely dropped back in the last mile and a half, but I am ok with that.

PreRun Fuel:  Panera Blueberry Bagel and cream cheese, coffee with Thin Mint creamer, water

Fuel during Run:  Chocolate Outrage GU (1).  I probably should have taken a second around mile 9 or 10.  Lots of water.

Post Run Fuel:  1/2 cup milk with two tablespoons Carnation Instant Breakfast Drink, fried egg and cheese sandwich, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 tomato, spinach, 3 radishes.

Right now I am starving.

The Blue Line Training Run is one of the big events that make Akron such a great place to live.  I love that our local running stores are so involved in the community, and I especially love that we have such a large and supportive running community.  Everywhere I turned, I saw runners talking, laughing, and encouraging each other.  While it wasn't the easy run I envisioned, it was definitely a great time.  AND. . . I treated myself to this medal as a reward for last week's tempo run from hell and this week's test run.

Two tough twelve milers = 1 Tardis medal!

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

Prediction Run

Boy, was today tough.  Temperature in the mid-to-high seventies, humidity at the point of rain without the relief of rain.  These were the conditions for a twelve-mile prediction run on the Bike and Hike with Shelby.  Sheila, our coach at OneLife Fitness, placed us at the opposite end of the path running toward the Towpath Turtles and gave us strict instructions:

1.  No chit chat.  Nothing beyond, "You ok?"

2.  Run close to race pace for the half marathon, but don't go all out.

This wasn't officially part of our instructions, but I knew rule number 3 was for me:

3.  NO MUSIC

This is exactly how I look when I know I have to run without music.

Normally, Sunday lsd's (long, slow distances) are fun times.  These are the runs where I get to talk to other runners or just listen to my music and chill.  Today was not one of those times.  I knew what I was in for, so I tried to mentally and physically prepare myself for suffering.

Pre-Run Fuel:  Panera Blueberry Bagel with cream cheese, coffee with Thin Mint Creamer, lots of water

Fuel during Run:  Blackberry GU at miles 4 and 8.  Water.  So much water.

Post-Run Fuel:  1/2 cup 1% milk with a tablespoon of Carnation Instant Breakfast drink, reuben, cantaloupe, and yes, WATER!!!

If you read my posts here and here, you know that I am pursuing a time goal for the Akron Half Marathon.  Today was supposed to be a test of how I might do.  It was also a test of how far I've come after 1) breaking my foot and then coming back, 2) losing 14 pounds (and counting!), and 3) stepping up my training and taking it more seriously.  Here are our splits (copied from my DailyMile post):

Boy, was I miserable. I would have punked out if I wasn't certain that Shelby would tell on me. Thanks for pushing me, Shelby! Here are the splits: 
Mile 1: 10:07 Mile 2: 10:12 Mile 3: 9:13 Mile 4: 9:27 Mile 5: 9:25 
Mile 6: 9:15 Mile 7: 9:28 Mile 8: 9:23 Mile 9: 9:34 Mile 10: 9:28 
Mile 11: 9:53 Mile 12: 10:01

It was very tough to do this run.  I felt really good up until mile 7, and then I just went to a very dark place in my head.  In miles 4 and 5 we passed the Turtles and encouraged them, to which they all replied, "Stop talking!"  Sheila had definitely prepped them.  Around mile 7 I started to break down.  I looked to see that nobody was around to see me talk, and I said to Shelby, "I'm going to have a meltdown as soon as we get to Sheila at the water station."  And at mile 8 I did.  I unleashed a string of every variation of the f-bomb I could come up with as I filled my water bottle.  Sheila calmly listened and then told us to get going since we won't be stopping in the race.  I popped a GU and powered on.  I felt a little better between miles 8 and 10, but after that I felt like I was dying.  My mantras were only getting me so far, and I just wanted to stop and lay down.  I kept telling myself, "You can do anything for 20 minutes; just hold on for 20 more minutes," and so on as I got closer to the end.

Overall, I did twelve miles in 1:55, which is a 9:37/mile.  Here is what I learned from my prediction run:

I am most likely not going to hit the sub-2 hour half marathon goal.  I will, however, definitely PR this race, and it's probable that I will PR it by about seven minutes.  That is enormous progress, and I think I will be happy with that.  Twelve minutes is a long time to cut off a PR, and by the way, so is seven minutes.  I have shown growth this year, especially considering the whole broken foot fiasco.  I am continuing my weight loss journey, and if I keep it up (and the weight down!), I should be able to reach that sub-2 hour half marathon goal in a different race.  

This doesn't mean I'm not going to try for it, though.  You never know when you are going to get lucky.

Running the Blue LIne

Today I ran a portion of the Akron Blue Line with the Towpath Turtles.  The Blue Line refers to an actual blue line painted on the roads around Akron to guide runners for the Akron Marathon.

This is EXACTLY how I look (like a BOSS)  running the Blue Line.   Just kidding.  This is Diane Nakuri, but that is really the Blue Line she is running in the Akron Marathon.

This really is EXACTLY how I look running the Blue Line.  Akron Marathon 2012, running the half.
Photo credit:  Christa Hammontree

At various points of the year, Akron runners like to go over parts of it to prepare for races.  There are many advantages to a Blue Line Run:

1.  Pre-mapped route with easy-to-determine mileage

2.  Runners can preview any part of the run by looking on YouTube.




3.  Shakes up the long run (remember last week's post?)

4.  Builds excitement for the upcoming race (The Akron Marathon/Half Marathon/Relay is on September 27, 2014.  Click here for more info.)

5.  Builds pride in community

The route that I ran today is particularly meaningful to me.  It is the route I ran when I first went ten miles (without ever thinking I could do so).  It is the same route I ran when I wrote my first blog post two years ago.  Today was the first time I've run it since I broke my foot, and I felt GREAT.  I am especially proud of the fact that while I brought my music, and I had it prepped, I never actually put the earbuds in and listened to it.  I talked with the Turtles, and when I didn't talk (which was actually for most of the ten miles), I concentrated on my form and my breathing.  It was surprisingly peaceful inside my head today.  Huh.

Pre-run fuel:

1 Panera blueberry bagel with cream cheese

Coffee with Girl Scout Thin Mints creamer (oh man, I am addicted to this)

Fuel at Mile 6:  Chocolate Outrage GU energy gel

Plenty of water throughout, thanks to Jone, who had a mobile water stop.

Post-run Fuel: Leftover fettucine Alfredo with broccoli.  Hangs head in shame

I clearly have work to do on the post-run fuel.  More on that in my next post.

Thank you to the Towpath Turtles for letting me run with them on this humid, but still beautiful day!

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

Wanna Be a Turtle?

No, not this kind of Turtle:

And not this kind of Turtle either:

Unless you CAN be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, and then you absolutely should.

I am talking about a Towpath Turtle:

This is EXACTLY how I look as a Towpath Turtle

The Towpath Turtles is a structured training program through OneLife Fitness Coaching.  The season runs from late February to October, and the training is based around Akron.  The culmination of the program is the Akron Marathon where most members will be running the half marathon or a relay for the full marathon.  The coach of the Towpath Turtles is Sheila Avsec, who provided this description of a Towpath Turtle:

I believe that to be a runner, one does more than run, namely a Towpath Turtle is defined as:

• A runner who runs on a regular basis, regardless of distance or speed;
• A runner who participates in the running community: as a volunteer, a member of local running club, and as a spectator/support crew member for other racers;
• A runner who knows about his/her sport – about proper fueling and nutrition, injury prevention and recovery, race etiquette, and the running community in general;
• A runner who is supportive of his/her peers and other runners.

The long runs are on Sunday each week, and this was the main reason I joined the Turtles in 2012.  Sunday is really the only day I can leave the kids for a few hours since my husband works every other day.  When I joined the Turtles, I thought I was just joining a group of people who wanted to run on Sundays.  At the time I couldn't run at all, and I secretly suspected that I would never be a runner.  

I was wrong.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I realize that I am a runner.

This day was the first unofficial 5k I ever ran, and on that day I realized that I could run and I liked running.  This is because of the Turtles.

I am in my second year of blogging, and many of my posts are dedicated to the Towpath Turtles.  Click here to read one of my first posts about being a Turtle.  They got me all the way to my first half-marathon, but they taught me so much more than how to run.  I learned about teamwork and sportsmanship, two things that I never considered to be part of running.  

Most of all, I learned that running is an investment that I make in myself, and I am absolutely worth the time and the effort that investment takes.  I couldn't run before because I didn't believe I could.  Because I believed in being a Turtle, I learned to believe in myself.

For anyone who is interested in becoming a Turtle, Sheila has posted the following information on Facebook:

Attention to everyone interested in signing up for training with OneLife Fitness Coaching for the 2014 Towpath Turtles season:

I will be hosting an information session on Sunday, 2/9/14 from 1-2pm at the Akron Main Library in meeting room #1 (60 S High St, Akron Ohio) to discuss the different types of training available:

Large Group Towpath Turtles, This is a structured half-marathon training program. We meet for 31-weeks on Sunday mornings and is an "A-Z" training program that starts on 2/23.

Small Group Towpath Turtles, (training starts on 6/29/14) This is a 12-week program for those who do not feel ready to commit to a long, structured program or for the half-marathon but want to be a Towpath Turtle on our Relay Team.

Information on individual training and "OneLife Mobile" training will be available as well. The 2014 Turtle Season starts on Sunday 2/23/14 and new Large Group members will be accepted from 2/9 - 2/23.

Invest in yourself.  You are worth it.


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

Akron Marathon 2013

Saturday was the Akron Marathon, and it was a glorious day to run.  The temperature started in the 50's, and it never got hotter than 73 before noon.  The race started at 7:00, so the half marathon runners were in really comfortable temperatures, and the full marathon runners didn't get too hot either.

Full confession:  I had a meltdown before the race.  I had a team dinner with the Towpath Turtles, and although I was worried about how I would handle it, I actually had a great time.  Then the next day everything hit me--HARD.  I would not be running this race.  I would not be running for a while.  I am wearing running shoes and I can't run.  It's unfair and stupid.

That day at work ended in a semi-stressful way, and I sobbed my way home.  Of course, it wasn't about work at all; I realized right away why I was crying.  When I got home I had just enough time to plaster some makeup over my tear stains, and then I headed for Parent/Teacher conferences.  Then I came home and broke down again.  This is how I looked:

Ok, this was bound to happen; it was just a matter of when.  I got through it.  I realize that I have tiny problems, more specifically one teeny-tiny broken bone.  On Saturday morning, the kids and I walked about a mile to the Blue Line where we cheered on runners right before the big hill on the marathon route.  I got to see David and Heather, who were doing the Full-Mary, and Meralee, who was doing the Turtle relay.  What I DIDN'T see was that Meralie was literally carrying me on her back:

Meralie had this sign on her back the whole time!  I am so touched that Flat Stephani got to be a part of the Turtle Relay!  This is one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for me, and it makes me feel awesome.  Thank you Meralie; you exemplify the Turtle spirit, unlike my Grumpy Turtle above.

I have already requested my status to change from "deferred" to "registered" for the 2014 Akron Marathon.  I'm going to kick that half marathon in the behind.

Wearing Shoes (2 of them!)

Guess who is wearing two shoes?

This is EXACTLY how I look when I have matching feet!

The orthopedist told me that I could stop wearing the boot as of last week, but I was too scared to take it off.  I don't feel entirely healed.  Also, I wondered if the doctor knows how much I have to move around.  Anyway, I figured that I can't be TOO healed, so I kept the boot for one more week.

Then I started thinking that maybe I need to walk in shoes (the doctor told me to always wear my sweet running shoes) to strengthen the bones and ligaments of the foot.  I dunno.  All I do know is that I am SO HAPPY to be out of the boot and in shoes.

Today the Towpath Turtles did their relay practice.  This is where we support our relay team for the Akron Marathon by choosing to run legs of the race with our members.  It's a fun way to taper for the race, and it's a good way to cheer on the relay runners.

This has been an awful year for injuries.  I'm out with a broken foot, Deb has stress fractures on her femur and is on crutches, and poor Rosie fractured her femur at the finish line of the Natatorium 5k last week.  Ladies, I know your heartbreak (although I know I can't begin to match your physical pain).  We will recover from these setbacks, and we will be stronger than ever.  I promise.

Turtles and TORN members, I will be thinking about you this week as you go crazy with tapering, and I will be at a location on the course to cheer you on next week.

Fear the Turtle!

Follow me on Twitter @itibrout

Fear the Turtle!

Today the Towpath Turtles ran the Natatorium 5k.  This is a fun course, fast and flat.  Of course, if you've read my previous post, you know that by "fun" I mean that you feel great when you are stuffing your face after the race.  If you are "having fun" while actually running a 5k, then you aren't running hard enough!

I wasn't at this race today, but I have been cheering on my Turtle peeps by sending them good running vibes.  Of course, I am also stalking their facebook pages to get the results.  It looks like the Turtles represented in the Nat!

Congratulations to Shelby!

Way to go, Kathy!

The motto on our club shirt says, "Fear the Turtle," and I really like it because deep down I would love to believe that there is SOMEBODY who comes to the race, sees us, and thinks, "Oh crap.  The Turtles are here.  There goes my place in my age group."  Of course, that is a horrible thought, and I guarantee you that nobody else in the Turtles thinks that way; I am the token meanie.   A more appropriate slogan might be, "Be Inspired by the Turtle."  I ABSOLUTELY hope that there are people at the races or on the road who look at us and think, "Wow, if they can do this, maybe I can."

Do you think you are too old to run?  We've got mothers, fathers, and grandmothers of all ages running with the Turtles, and they are having a ball.

Do you think you don't have the body of a runner?  What is that anyway?  Many of the Turtles don't look the way we envision runners, but I assure you that we ARE runners.

Do you worry that you are the one person in the world that won't be able to experience the fun of running and the thrill of a runner's high because you aren't worthy, aren't capable, or just CAN'T?  No?  Good.  I'm sure it's just me.  The Towpath Turtles helped me to overcome that kind of negativity.  Besides, you can't NOT have fun in the middle of the long run.  The goofiness has to emerge at some point.  We've had our fair share of weirdness on the Towpath; it takes the form of top-of-your-lungs singing, train-whistling through tunnels (guilty), acrobatics and surprising stunts, and REALLY dorky jokes.

Do you think you wouldn't do well in a running club?  You might surprise yourself.

Believe me, these Turtles are worthy of emulation.  A healthy dose of fear certainly wouldn't hurt our egos, though!

Fall for Running. . . without Running

Fall is coming; I can feel it in the cool night breeze on my skin when I read in bed with the windows open.  I can smell it in the morning air (when I can smell at all--allergy season starts again).  Fall is my favorite season; it's one of the reasons I moved back to Ohio.  I get to see beautiful scenery like this:

Fall is the Blue Line Run, the Akron Half Marathon, the Columbus Hot Chocolate, the Buckeye Half Marathon.  Fall is gorgeous Sunday morning long runs where the Towpath Turtles run farther than they ever thought possible.  Fall is hill repeats and track workouts after school.

I am doing none of these things this year.

I am still here, though, and I am enjoying these things vicariously through my friends and my fellow running bloggers.  I love your posts and your pictures.  I read the blogs and I close my eyes and think, "My time will come.  I will be patient."

Yesterday the kids and I manned a water stop with some other club members on the Akron Blue Line Run, which is a test run for the Akron Marathon.  My son was so excited to see all the runners ("We have more customers!" he shouted each time he saw a group), and he loved pointing out which cooler contained water and which had Gatorade.  That boy is going to be my runner.  My daughter will take more convincing.

I loved seeing people I know in the running community.  I loved the high fives and the sweaty hugs.  I am still a runner; I'm just not running right now.

My time will come.  I will be patient.

SuperFanning It

Today was a significant race for the Towpath Turtles, the Perfect 10 Miler.  They have already run eleven miles on the long, slow run, but as we all know, racing is different.

Here we are AFTER the race, looking pretty. . .pretty badass, that is.

I was incredibly frustrated because I was supposed to run this race, and well, you know what happened.  The course is largely fast and flat (with a little hill at the end for some added torment), and I had planned to really push myself as a practice run for the Akron Half Marathon.  Needless to say, events did not go as planned, but I really wanted to be there. . .as a SuperFan.

One thing that makes our running club different is that we celebrate all runners.  That means that we cheer for everyone, and we cheer to the end.  Lauren and I met the Turtles before the race to wish them luck, then we drove to the midpoint of the race and cheered EVERY RUNNER who passed us.  Then we drove to the end to cheer everyone through the chute.  There were other supporters there who didn't seem to do much supporting.  They stood around silently while Lauren and I lost our voices hooting, hollering, joking with runners, promising beer and cookies at the end (we were lying about the beer) and uvulating every time we saw a Turtle.  No link here, folks, look it up if you don't know what it means.  Shannon was down the course from us doing the same thing, plus she had a cowbell (I have a fever . . for more cowbell).

It really was a lot of fun.  So many runners thanked us or laughed or smiled at us, and I remembered what it feels like when someone, ANYONE, acknowledges me in a race.

So far I have been able to SuperFan one race and volunteer twice for the Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run.  Each time I have given my time and effort, I have received a return that was greater than my investment.  In the case of Burning River, that is literally true: I arrived with nothing and left three hours later with a watermelon, a case of ginger ale, and two jugs of water.  Anyway, you know what  I mean.

Well done today, Towpath Turtles!  You rocked the 10 Miler!

This is Shannon and me, with one good pair of legs between us!

Nuts

There are so many ways to approach the title of this post. . .

It was a beautiful morning, the sun was shining, it was 63 degrees--every necessary component for a successful eleven mile run with the Turtles.

"Look out for these nuts," Renee said.  "They are treacherous."    The nuts were covering the side of the road, slippery little suckers.  As soon as Renee warned us, I stepped on one and my right foot rolled in.  I saved myself from outright falling, but I knew as soon as I stopped that something was very wrong.

Nuts

"Nuts!"  I said.  Ok, at this point if you know me at all, you know that I didn't say that, but hey, what if a kid is reading this?  I tentatively started walking, and the pain was intense.  Maybe you've stumbled or overextended a muscle and you knew that you would be ok in a few minutes?  Yeah, that wasn't me.  I KNEW that I had jacked myself up.  Again.

I told my fellow Turtles (who were kind enough to offer to run for a car for me) that I'd be able to make it to my own car (which was over two miles away).  They looked at me like I was nuts, and I realized that they were right when I limped to Szalay's Farm Market about a third of a mile away.  There was no way I could walk to my car.  I borrowed a cell phone from a kind couple on the Towpath ("What?" they said.  "You don't even own a cell phone?  That's nuts!"), and called my husband, who already thinks I'm. . . well, you know.

Nuts

One trip to the emergency room later, and I know I'm going to go. . . batty (see what I did there?) from not running for two weeks AGAIN.  My foot is broken.

The good news is that the emergency room doctor thinks I'll be able to run in a couple weeks, but I have to see an orthopedic doctor right away to make sure I don't need surgery.

The bad news is that I already paid for the Perfect 10-Miler for next Sunday.

The good news is that this is my chance to be a SuperFan for the Turtles in the race next Sunday.

The bad news is that without running away from trouble, I may be driving those I love. . .

Nuts

Race Review: Jim Klett 10k

It was a beautiful day in Merriman Valley, a great day to run 10k, and that is what the Turtles did.

Here we are, revved up!

Look, a bale of Turtles!  Fear them!

Today was the Jim Klett 10k, sponsored by Summit Athletic Running Club.  This race is part road, part trail, and it winds through really gorgeous country.  I have lots of opinions on this race, so let's just get to it, shall we?

The Good:  This was a very small race--less than 200 participants.  This means that I was able to take 3rd place in my age group!  I've got a nice plaque on my dresser now.  I think I'm going to mount it in my classroom and make the students bow to it when they enter.

 I've already mentioned the scenery and the weather.  Both were outstanding.  The course has a few hills on the trails, and I'm a hill person, so I was happy there.

This is NOT me.  This is a hillbilly; it's not the same thing.  

The Bad:  The race was small because, in my opinion, SARC made a lot of errors.
1.  They moved the start time from 9:00 (which is kind of late anyway) to 8:45, and they did it a mere few days before the race.

2.  They eliminated the 5k portion of the race, a REALLY bad move.  People LOVE 5k's.  I don't understand why they got rid of it because I would think it would be the money part of the race.

Some errors didn't directly limit registration, but they were obvious nonetheless:

3.  Runners had to park and walk through a wet field to get to the starting line.  My shoes and socks were wet before I started the race.

4.  Not only did we have to walk through that wet field to get there, packet pick up was only that morning, so we were now supposed to WALK BACK through that wet field to stow our packet.  Uh, no.  The Turtles put all of their bags together and left them (Great idea, Sheila!) in the hopes that nobody would swipe anything.

5.  The t-shirts were COTTON!! UGH!  If I'm running 10k, I want a TECH SHIRT!!!  If anyone HAD stolen my cotton tee, I honestly wouldn't have cared.




The Ugly:  Bear with me here because I'm a little angry.  I guess right now you could call me a Snapping Turtle.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I'm pissed off about a race.

There were more than twenty Turtles at that race, which means that we made up about fifteen percent of the participants, something SARC knew from registration data.  We are named the Turtles for a reason: we believe that slow and steady wins the race.  Some of the racers had never run an official 10k, and they were really looking forward to this race.  In a weird, clueless move, SARC rerouted the race to go over railroad tracks.  They moved the race time to 8:45 at the last minute because they actually checked a train schedule, but in doing so, they only thought about their faster runners.  As a result, about half of the Turtles got caught waiting on a train.  That is completely unfair.  These runners paid just as much as anyone, and SARC never thought about their needs.  I don't think it's too much to ask to allow participants the opportunity to run from beginning to end.

Furthermore, SARC served a breakfast starting forty-five minutes after the beginning of the race, so when the Turtles showed up en masse to eat, we got the leftovers.  I'm not saying everyone should have waited; I am saying that someone should have realized that a huge group of runners (some of whom had to wait for the train) would be coming much later, and that someone should have started a second wave of food prep.  It's not rocket science, people.  Hold back some eggs and stuff, and make those later.

I'd like to end this post on a good note, so I will.  I LOVED watching the Turtles come in today, and my favorite part was when we all ran in together with our Tail at the end.  Sheila taught us that being a Turtle is more than just running; we cheer on all runners, and we cheer them on until the finish line.  I'm so proud today to belong to our running club, The Ohio Runners Network, of which the Towpath Turtles are a subgroup.  Thank you for a great time today, runners!  I love you, Man!

Look out for the Geese-Wrangler!

Geese are nasty and mean.  Swans are nastier; they are essentially snakes with wings. . . but I digress.

Today Heather and I put in five miles before the Turtle run of an additional five miles.  We were on the Bike and Hike trail, and if we weren't both so miserable in the first couple of miles, it would have been beautiful.

We knew the geese were coming when we had to start dodging their "little gifts" on the trail.  Sure enough, ahead of us was a gang, about twenty of them, waiting to jack us up.

This is EXACTLY how the geese looked.  I'm not joking.

I used my superior intellect and innate connection with Nature and started clapping my hands to get them off the path. . . and it worked!  "You can always be a geese-herder if the teaching thing doesn't pan out," said Heather.  I have to say, I took a certain amount of pride in the fact that with my quick wits I averted a violent end for the both of us.
Next week, I tackle swans.  Maybe.

You Run Like a Mother!

Today was the Munroe Falls Mother's Day 5k.  It is the first race I ever ran, and it is lots of fun.  Today was even more special because I ran it with the Towpath Turtles, and we have snappy new shirts this year.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I am freezing my ass off in May.

Normally I complain about 5ks because if you really want to do your best, you have to know that there will be lots of discomfort, even some hurting.  If you are not at the very least uncomfortable during a 5k, you aren't running hard enough.  I like the Stop-and-Smell-the-Roses attitude of the 15k or the half marathon.  Today I felt more relaxed than I have ever felt before a race.  Normally I can't get to sleep the night before, and I worry about parking and bathrooms the whole time.  None of these things were problems this year, and I attribute this to the fact that it's a small race (last year there were about 400 participants) and that I've run a few races now, so I know the drill.

My main worry was dodging the strollers, the children, and the walkers.  I had a vision of me flopping on my face and ruining seven years of orthodontia after trying to go around a stroller with a family dog attached to it.  Luckily, it never happened.  I lined up with Deidre, Teresa, and Julie (as I do for almost every race), and when I got through the starting gate, I took off, dodging, picking, and rolling like LeBron.  Ok, maybe more like this guy.

I glanced at my Garmin near the end of the first split, and I noticed I was doing an 8:45 minute/mile, which is impressive, but the WRONG THING TO DO if you want to try negative splits.  Oh well.  I couldn't see my official time because there were too many people crowded around the boards, but I did see that my pace was 9:03.  I haven't checked, but I'm pretty sure this isn't a PR for me.  That's ok; I left the race with my teeth and nose intact, and I got to cheer for some pretty terrific runners.

Towpath Turtles, you will always have a special place in your heart for your first race; this was mine.  I am so proud of all of you.  I stood at the gate and watched you come in, and it made me so happy to see how far you've come.  Congratulations!

Next week:  Rite Aid 10k.  Time to start worrying about parking and bathrooms.