Giveaway Week!

Peeps, you may have heard (in very subtle hints) that I am a Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Ambassador.  This means that I get to give away an entry to the funnest (yes, that is a word) race in Ohio! This week starts my giveaway; I will post each day from Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.  Respond to my posts, and I will give you a chance at registration for any race in the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon series!

To kick this off, I thought I would present 13.1 things about me. It should be 26.2, but I am not that interesting.

Shut up.

1. I didn't start running until after I turned 40.  I got a late start, but I'm in it for the longevity.

2. I originally started running so that I could run the 3.1 mile leg on Sand Run Parkway for the Akron Marathon. I tried and tried to run farther than 2 miles, but I would be winded. Finally, I joined a running group, the Towpath Turtles. The day I reached 4 miles, I burst into tears. "I never thought I would be able to run this far," I sobbed gratefully to my coach. "Of course you didn't," she replied, "because you were running like a dumbass before."  Huh.

Me with my first running group, the Towpath Turtles

3. I signed up for that very leg on an Akron Marathon Relay team. When teaching a unit about Carpe Diem (seize the day!) in my literature class, a student challenged me: "Why not run the half marathon? Why run only 3 miles? What are we really doing here?" I realized she was right, and I switched to the half.  There was no looking back.

4.  I ran the Akron Marathon when I failed to break the 2:00 barrier for the half marathon (I was 53 seconds short!).  Again, there was no looking back. This year will be my 5th consecutive Akron Marathon. I have run the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon 4 times. Will this year be the 5th?

My first marathon!

5.  I ran my first 50k this year for Forget the PR. It was brutal, but I had a great time.

Wendy and I finish my first 50K!

6. Sometimes I think about a 50 miler. . . and then I remember how miserable I feel in the last 6 miles of a marathon. So far that is a NOPE race.

7.  I am a high school English teacher. I love teaching high schoolers.  Seriously. I use running analogies all the time. My favorite: Education is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to build your endurance. Sometimes your runs are super-fun, and sometimes they suck and you feel like they will never end. They all have purpose, and they all make you a better person.

8. For three years I lived in Paris, France, where I met my husband. We had a neighborhood restaurant called Cafe Le Bouliste. When we retire, we plan to move back to Paris and open a Browns backers club called Le Dawg Pound.

My husband--the Kabyle Chef

9.  Although I am an English teacher, the language I speak at home with my husband is French. Go figure.

10.  I am obsessed with food. I think about it constantly, and I am always hungry. I feel like I ran my 50K only for the trail food and the opportunity to drink a lot of beer after the race. Unfortunately for me, I was wiped out after 2 beers.  Ok, maybe 3. Favorite aid station food? Grilled cheese sandwich triangles with pickles on top.  Runner up? Bacon.

11. Trail running is not my first love. In fact, I hated it for my first two years of running. I didn't even buy my first pair of trail shoes until I was three years in. Today I like to run trails if I am with my friends, but if I am alone, give me roads any day.

Love me some roads!

Love me some trails, too!

12. I struggle with my weight. A lot. When I started training for marathons and ultras, the wheels came off a bit, and I've gained 20 pounds that I am now trying to lose. For me, this means logging every bite I put into my mouth. Somedays I wish I could eat like a "normal" person, but I know where that kind of thinking leads me. . .right into my fat clothes.  I've lost 10 of the 20 pounds, but every day is a battle.

13.  I belong to some super-cool running groups: Trail Sisters, Crooked River Trail Runners, Phillips' Phlyers, Canal Rats, the Lawn Wranglers.  I truly enjoy running with people in these groups. Runners can be the nicest, most welcoming people in the world.

The Trail Sisters

13.1. I want to give YOU a free entry to any Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon race!

For a chance to win, tell me which of the above snippets relates to you. Want more chances? Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @itibrout! I will post a chance for you to respond each day. At the end of the week (Saturday, February 8), I will draw the winner, and I will announce it on Sunday, February 9.

Don't feel lucky? Use my code, RUNCLESTEPHANI10, for 10% off any race registration.

What are you waiting for? Join me!

However, whenever you run, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

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

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!

Race Recap: Forget the PR 50K

It was a really stupid decision, Peeps.

A while ago I got on the wait list for Forget the PR 50K at Mohican. I don't know why I did it. Ok, I do know why I did it. Peer Pressure.  A yearning for a new challenge. Mid-life crisis. Other things (if you know me, I'm sure you can guess what that means).

Anyway, I was on the WAIT LIST.  The key word here is WAIT. I thought I wouldn't get in, and the Universe would be to blame, so I didn't have to blame myself.

Wrong.

This showed up in my email. Dangit.

So, I was in it.  Luckily, Wendy (whom I was training with for this race) was in it, too.  We decided that we were as ready as we were going to be.

This is EXACTLY how Wendy and I look when we are ready.

This is how Wendy, Sarah, Marta, and I look when we are ready. Notice the Trail Sisters shirts!

Forget the PR is aptly named. It takes place at Mohican (in Loudonville), and the elevation goes well beyond 4,000 feet in the 31 miles of the race. Wendy had a great idea for mentally tackling the course: The first loop was 18ish miles; therefore, the second loop was much easier. Period. That was all we had to think about. I added some rules: For the first loop, we could talk about how beautiful it was on the course and how lucky we were to be outside on such a beautiful day. For the second loop, we would discuss food and beer.  This was a pretty good strategy all around.

After about two hours on the course, I had to find a bathroom, so I told Wendy to go on without me. We had agreed ahead of time that we would run our own races, and I didn't want to hold her back.  She said she'd see me later (which I should have picked up on), and she moved on. I found a bathroom, got back on course, and then I promptly moved off course.

I blame the beautiful scenery.

Luckily for me, I heard a voice behind me: "Have you even seen a pink flag around here?" I turned around; it was Wild Bill Wagner, one of the race directors for Running Forward and Giving Back. 

"No," I replied.

"Well, I'm following you, and I think we are lost, " he said.

Irritated, I snapped back, "What the hell are you doing following me??? I've never run a 50K before, and I've never been here before, and you are a RACE DIRECTOR!!!!"

Anyway, we reversed our course and found our way back. In this way, I lost (or gained) about a mile. Thank you, Wild Bill, for getting me back on track. I'm sorry I yelled at you.

I eventually found my way back to the Covered Bridge, and Wendy was waiting for me, something I didn't expect. I know she had been waiting at least 20 minutes (because I had gotten lost), and I felt TERRIBLE. I didn't expect her to want to finish the loop with me, yet there she was. Wendy, I'm still SO SORRY that you had to wait so long. If I had known that you intended to wait for me, I would have told you to move on.  

So, we were back together again.  Honestly, we had a great time. It was hard, but I didn't have any meltdowns; I was focused on finishing the first loop because Wendy said the second loop would be better (She is a liar, but oh well). 

Let's talk about an iconic part of the course: Big Ass Hill.  Everyone talks about this hill, and Peeps, it is really a steep, long hill. 

This doesn't seem steep and long, but believe me; it is. What you perceive to be the top is NOT actually the top.

This is Wendy coming up Big Ass Hill on the second loop. Yes, we had to climb that damned hill twice.

I had heard about Big Ass Hill, but I am not easily intimidated. I put my head down and I plowed up that hill.  As I climbed, I talked to a Dude in a Kilt who had an Australian accent. When I got to the top, I made my signature move: I threw my fists in the air and shouted, "Yes! The hill is my bitch!" The elation didn't last long, though, because after a slight (and deceptive) downhill, I saw this:

Mother. Of. God. Are you kidding me????

When I verbalized my disapproval (use your imagination here), Dude in a Kilt said, "I wanted to say something earlier, but you were so happy. . . "

Anyway, we made it back to the start for the first loop. We fueled and started right back out again. At this point, we met up again with Jason, who ran us to Big Ass Hill as moral support. The nice thing about Forget the PR is that you see lots of friends on the course who are just running to train and cheer on idiots like me. Wendy and I had seen Jason and Jennifer several times on the loop, and they lifted our spirits. We also saw our Trail Sisters, Kate and Talula, in the first loop. Thank you, friends, for being there for us!

Honestly, I don't know how we did it, but we finished that race under the deadline. The cutoff was ten hours, and we finished in 8:47. If I hadn't had to go to the bathroom, I wouldn't have gotten lost and slowed us down, and we would have finished under 8:30.  Never mind. I am SO HAPPY with my finish time.

Wendy and I finish strong.

This is EXACTLY how I look when I am happy with my finish time (and my buckle).

Peeps, I am so proud of myself. This was a truly badass race, and it was my first 50K. I thought I would be really upset after the race, but. . .I wasn't. I ran this course in the best possible circumstances: The weather was perfect. The Trail Sisters (and other friends) were all there (in fact, the Trail Sisters ran us in to the finish). Wendy and I are well matched in long distance trail running.  It was really a great time. Was I in pain?  Hell, yes! But a bit of hot tub time (along with ibuprofen ) was a great remedy for that.  You know what else is a great recovery tool for your first 50K? Birthday cake:

Marta got us a cake!

Sarah, Wendy, and I blow out the candles.

There is no problem that food can't cure.

This was a great race. Will I run it again?  Hell no.  I love the course, but I don't want to run it twice, so a 25K is a real possibility here. I am so grateful that I have a supportive group of friends--not just the Trail Sisters, but all the members of our running community that I saw that weekend. Runners are the best, Peeps.  Really. 

What is next? I'm still training for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. Will you join me? Use my code, SI2019, for 10% off any of the races in the series.

Wherever you run, whatever your goals, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

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

Break It Down

So, last week I ran 17 miles on the long run, and this week I ran 18.  The way I've been making this work is that I meet my Trail Sisters Jen and Renee and Carrie for a trail run, but I show up an hour earlier, and I put in 4-5 miles on the Towpath. I feel like this gets me properly tired for all those hills and steps. So far it seems to be working.

Jen, me, Renee. Bundled up and happy to be done.

Peeps, when increasing your mileage, my one piece of advice is this: Choose your running partners wisely. I am a slow trail runner, so 14 miles on the trails is going to take me about 31/2 hours or so, depending on the conditions (the conditions lately have NOT been good). This means that there is a LOT of talking and not talking during that time. Jen, Renee, and I are English teachers, so we have a lot to discuss, and when we run out of things to say about literature, pedagogy, or just classroom pet peeves, we can always complain about our husbands. Then there comes a point where you just want the run to be DONE, and you start to do whatever it takes in your mind to make that happen. I am lucky that we have been able to share so many miles without them killing me and hiding my body in a fallen log.

Speaking of fallen logs. . .

Last Sunday we decided to run even though the weather forecast called for very strong wind gusts, up to 50 mph. We started together at 8:30 (I had put in 5 miles before that), and it was very pleasant, warm with little wind. We went out about an hour and a half, and everything was fine, so fine that our hubris got the best of us, and we scoffed at the forecast.  Big mistake. When we turned around, the wind started kicking up, and sometimes we had tiny pellets of sleet/hail. Then the trees started creaking and we heard cracking all around us.

I don't know about you, but I have heard stories about trees and branches falling on people, and I've always thought, "Seriously, I can outrun a falling tree. What is wrong with people?" What I've learned is that when the trees are cracking all around you, and the wind is whipping them everywhere, that sound echoes, and you don't know where it's coming from.  There were plenty of times on that trail that I wasn't sure if a tree or branch was going to hit us or not. We saw one large tree take down another, and at one point on an open part of the path a wind gust blew me over until I crouched down to make a wider base.  On the way back, we saw this, and it scared the bejesus out of me:

This all happened in the second part of the run. Photo credit: Renee Milhalyov

At least five big trees fell directly on the path we had run on the way out. We had to climb over some of them.  They were all heavy. We could have been pinned under any of those trees.

Don't laugh at the weather gods in Ohio, Peeps.

So, I am alive for now, and I am still building towards my 20 miler, which I think I'll run on St. Patrick's Day.  I am still on the wait list for Forget the PR, but I think it won't be long before I get an email saying I'm running it for realz.

If I survive this race, I swear I will take up some speedwork and PR the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon.  Wanna join me? Register for any Cleveland Marathon race (1 mile Fun Run, 5K, 8K, 10K, Half Marathon, Full Marathon, Series) using my code, SI2019, and receive 10% off.  Let's do this together!

However strong the wind blows in your woods, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

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

How's that Weather Working out for You?

GAAAAAAA!!!!!!

It has been cold in Ohio, Peeps. Yes, I realize that you didn't need me to tell you that.  I have been confined to the treadmill for days, and it's starting to make me soul-sick.

The treadmill would be SO MUCH BETTER if I ate ice cream like this dude.

I have made a point of getting out on the weekends, and that really helps.  Last weekend I didn't get the opportunity to do back-to-back long runs because I was working in Columbus, so I decided to do a long trail run with the Trail Sisters on Sunday.

Our start at Boston Store: Me, Wendy, Renee, Marta

Stopping to catch my breath (Renee is patiently waiting for me)

As you can see, it was very snowy, very cold, and very steep.  Running in the snow was like running on sand, and at the end of 12 miles, my Garmin registered that I exerted as much effort as I would have on 17 miles!

This weekend, I ran 14 miles on Saturday and 7 miles on Sunday.  All of the miles were incredibly hilly, which is exactly what I need for Forget the PR 50K in Mohican.

This gives you an idea of Saturday's run: I am the tiny speck in orange and white on the left.

Halfway through the run, Wendy, Marta, and I crashed a golf and chili event at Hale Farm.

Wendy and Marta have no shame. I am hiding.

The chili smelled so amazing; it was difficult to leave.

Wendy and I reluctantly leave the Chili Open.

I made sure to nap and fuel after cleaning the house on Saturday, and I got up early to run with the Canal Rats this morning on Sand Run--more hills. Normally the Rats run WAY too fast for me, but they were kind enough to run a leisurely pace. . .which still kicked my butt.  

My runs this week totalled 42 miles, which is pretty darned good considering we had the polar vortex. I also managed to do yoga and strength training. 

At this point, if I don't get into the Forget the PR 50K, I will be in stellar form for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon in May.  Speaking of which, would you like to sign up to join me for any of the races in the series? If so, use my code, SI2019, for a 10% discount on registration for any of the races, including the whole series.  Come on--it will be fun!

No matter how cold it is, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

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

Training Time!

For those of you who didn't catch why I am in a tizzy:

This is EXACTLY how I look when I am in a tizzy.

I signed up for the Forget the PR 50K a month or so ago. Yes, peer pressure was involved. No, I don't want to talk about it.  Well, maybe just a little bit.

Every year I need a new challenge. I knew that I would eventually sign up for a 50K, but I actually thought I'd sign up for some sort of 24 hour loop type of race so that I could take my time and eat more food and stuff.

That didn't happen.

This particular 50K takes place at Mohican State Park, and it is a monster.  Think hills, lots and lots of hills. Think April weather in Ohio.  Think of how stupid I am to sign up.  Anyway, I didn't get in, but I can't be relieved just yet because I am on a waitlist, and I am NUMBER 7 ON THIS STUPID LIST!!!!

So, I've got to train.

I was running with my friend Jenn (who has done the Mohican 50K) a few weeks ago, and she asked me about my training plan. "Ummmmm. . . you're assuming I have a training plan," I replied. "I just thought I'd do a marathon plan with lots of hill repeats and painful stuff."

"You realize that you're supposed to do back-to-back long runs to get used to running on tired legs, right?" she asked, giving me the side-eye.

"Dammit, now I do!" I yelled, and that is how everything changed. I looked up 50K training plans and realized that I have to devote my weekends to running, and so I have.

For three weeks I have been running long on both Saturday and Sunday, both days on trails. I've started with shorter distances--8, 9, and 10 miles-- to get used to it.  I've made sure to build in long hills whenever I can.

This past Saturday I ran 10 miles at Pine Hollow with the Trail Sisters. Then, on Sunday I came right back to Pine Hollow to run 9 more with Katie, a fellow Cleveland Marathon Ambassador.  Katie is training for her first marathon, and you guessed it--it's Cleveland!

I'm hiding my face in the shadow. Katie is looking uber-cool in sunglasses.

The group I ran with are all super-speedy badass trail runners, and I had NO BUSINESS running with them, so I made the decision to let them go when I stopped to take a picture and I dropped my gloves.

Morning at Kendall Lake. I never did find my gloves, darnit.

It was peaceful and beautiful running through the park, and I wasn't as sore as I thought I might be. I caught up with Katie later on, and we chatted a bit in the last few miles.  She is going to rock the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, and if I survive this 50K, I will rock the marathon, too!

Have you signed up for one of the races yet? Or will you choose the series?  Wanna discount on registration? Click here and use my code, SI2019, for 10% off any race or series.

However you train, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

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

Christmas Lights and I am Stupid

Last week I ran the annual Christmas Lights Run, organized by Ed Sutter, of Eddie's Famous Cheesesteaks. This is where over one hundred runners don Christmas apparel and run through the streets of Akron (following the blue line of the Akron Marathon) to Stan Hywet Hall to see the beautiful Christmas lights. It is a total of eight miles, and then everybody fills the bars and restaurants in downtown Akron for post-run food and libations. Here are some pics:

Cleveland Marathon Ambassador and Pacer Spotting! Steve, Me, Pam

The whole group in front of Stan Hywet Hall. Photo Credit: Steve Pierce

Trail Sisters Represent! Marta, Cari, Angie, Me

I love running at night, and the lights at Stan Hywet are amazing. This was a great way to relieve some holiday stress. 

This is usually how I deal with holiday stress.

On another note, I did something stupid, Peeps. Here are some hints:

1. Peer pressure was definitely involved.
2. Alcohol may have been involved.
3. I was looking for something different in my races.
4. I'm turning 50 in two years.

Did you guess that I signed up for my first 50K? Ok, that isn't so bad, right? I mean, it's inevitable that I'm going to run a 50K when I've already run six marathons. Here is the problem. For my first 50K, I've chosen. . . 

The Mohican Forget the PR

Here are some things you need to know:

1. The course is EXTREMELY difficult. 
2. The race is in April (around my birthday), so I can most likely expect icy rain.
3.  I am #8 on the waitlist. When I mentioned to my friends that I felt that it was unlikely that I would get in, they all informed me that I was definitely going to be running the 50K if I'm only #8.  GAAAAAAAA.
4. Trail Sisters have already registered, so I will be in good company.

I've had a period of freaking out, but I am not a quitter, so I am going to prepare for this damn race.  I will run hill repeats. I will do squats and pushups. I will put in the long trail miles. I can do this, right?



Ok, this is the most important part of the post. What spring race will you train for this winter? Will it be the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon or any of the races associated with it? If so, I have a code for you! Use SI2019 for 10% off registration for any race, including the series!


However you run this season, I hope you run happy, Peeps!

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