Richmond Marathon Race Recaps

Thinking of Running Richmond Full, Half or 8K?  

Well, here are a few bloggy re-caps from around the web of people who ran or spectated Richmond Marathon 2011.

Racing With Babes

Setting You Free

Life Began at Thirty

Neurosis of the Stay at Home Marathoner of 3 (kids)

Small Beginnings

Pace of Me

Dori's Shiny Blog

Running to Stand Still


For the most part, these touch on all aspects of the race.  From the local "how do I drive in and park" to the out of town, "does the shuttle to the expo function as advertised."

Enjoy!

Also, thinking of signing up for MTT?  Just do it.

Jenny's First Dance

My father is a musician.  One of my favorite pieces that he composed is a lovely little guitar solo called "Jenny's First Dance".  When I hear it, it makes me think that about the idea that the first steps are the hardest, but once you get through them, nothing can stop you.

Jenny Silver, as I've bloggy named her, ran her first marathon on Saturday.  She owned it.  For that matter, she OWNED IT FROM DAY ONE.  I'm so proud of her.  She is a testimony to why MTT is a good program for the first time marathoner.  She lived the highs, the lows, and finished on top.

Epic doesn't even come close to describing her race recap.  It makes me want to go for a run.

Congratulations Jenny Silver.  Savor this week of recovery.  You've earned it.

~savor the run~

Guest Blogger: DeNiece

DeNiece is a great friend and runner.  She's inspiring and encouraging, and confident and competitive...  pretty much, DeNiece is just like a lot of us.  Here she takes on one of those *sticky* topics we all talk about, the dreaded running partner you just can't out run....

One of my running partners claims I am her best friend, although she is NOT mine.  

Even though she is my nemesis, she plays an important part in my life.  Maybe you know someone like her – she is loud, negative and outspoken.   She is the first to tell me that I “can’t” or “won’t” do something.  She crushes my spirit, douses my confidence, destroys my self-esteem.   She is insidious.  She starts out with little comments like “boy its hot today…you don’t like the heat do you?”  Then she becomes a little more pointed, “Whew, it is really hot.  You’re only at two miles – it’s a long way to 10.”  Then, she goes in for the kill, “I don’t think you can do it.  It is really hot.  Aren’t you uncomfortable? You can’t do it”….

And the negative mantra is born….hammered into my brain, pounded in with each painful step I take -“YOU.CAN’T.DO.IT. YOU.CAN’T.DO.IT”….

She picks my weak point – “It’s hot”, “too cold”, “you’re sore, tired or hungover”, “they’re faster than you” and throws it up in my face until I am repeating the negative mantra with her… 

SHE.IS.TOXIC…

And yet, she has run with me for years.   I found myself listening to her, wondering where she was when she was quiet.  I try to drown her out by chatting with friends or listening to music (she also likes hip hop and rap) but she can be incessant, loud and dominating.

 It is lucky, for me, that I am so likable, charming, personable, and fun… because when the posse runs with me, they run with her.   

Last year, I started marathon training.  It turned out that she was not as fit as I am.  While I love the long, LONG runs, she does not.  She figured out quickly, though, that there were plenty of places she could jump in on the long run.  So while she wouldn’t join us for 20 milers, she’d pop in for 6 or 8 miles to make me miserable. 

As I become fitter and stronger physically, she became weaker.   As I developed more and more friendships with runners, their voices could drown her out.   Those friends were supportive, kicking her to the curb when she tried to run with us.  I toughened up mentally, found ways to shut her up, leave her behind or better yet, avoid running with her.  Her power over me was dissipating…

Last night I woke up and began to think about all my marathon fears:  it’s two half-marathons and that second one is REALLY hard;  my husband is not meeting me at mile 21 so I will have to run the last “half” by myself; can I really meet my goals?; what if I hit a wall?; what if it hurts?  – ALL of these things are about a fear of physical pain and mental anguish.  When I realized this, I tried to tease out which was worse - the physical or mental.   Which would come first…does physical pain lead to the wall or vice versa?  

Then like a flash, I realized this was all her doing – she had snuck into my room and was whispering her bullsh** into my ear.    

So, I broke up with her for good.  

Her power over me and my life is gone.  I am happy, centered, energetic and relaxed.  I have balance between the marathon and my family life, even if it is just for this week and it is GOOD…

…but watch out, fellow runners, she will be out on the prowl and the marathon will have lots of potential clients.  

So be wary of her….or maybe you’ve already met her – her name is Debbie.  Debbie DOWNER…

and then what V?

My husbands stupid cat woke me up at o'Freaking Early hour this morning.

Stupid cat.

Doesn't he know it's race week?

Doesn't he get it?

I'm supposed to be sleeping late every day this week. I'm supposed to be cozy in my bed, snuggled in under 2 extra blankets.

Instead I found myself hobbling down the stairs to set him free.  He danced a ballet of celebration, floating through the dark.  My gait was awkward.  A straight jacket posing as a sock cinched my foot into a contortionist pose.  I could barely manage an igor-like hobble through the dark house.

The cold tile floor bit into my feet on a hiss.

Wretched cat.

My eyes were half closed, or perhaps, half open as I fumbled with the locking mechanism on the door.

Will Feral, the aptly named wretched cat, laced his soft orange body through my legs humming like an electric razor.  His entire body vibrated with his purring song.

Finally, successful, I flung the door open.

The shock of cold air immobilized my companion.

The shock of cold air immobilized me.

We stared into the morning.  The vastness was overwhelming, leaving me empty and insignificant.  I looked up into the stars, and I felt the sky look back into me.  It brushed my soul, leaving only a dewy finger print.

A perfect letter V was etched into the inky curtain, and it taunted me.  I breathed a sigh as the magic washed over me.

V... victory.
V.... and then what V?....
V.... for V, my dear friend...

It's a sign.  A sign of greatness.  A sign of the moment that lays before us.  It's...

...nothing special.  Seriously.  These stars have been here for ~like~ a hundred million years.  There is nothing special about them today.  They are not flaunting their V.  They are not displaying this perfection for me alone, it is simply a high pressure system keeping the clouds at bay.

There's no magic.  It's just a Monday.  Get over yourself....

As thought this, I closed my hand over the door to slide it closed, and a shooting star lanced across the sky.  I couldn't stop the smile.

Message received....

oh yes.... There is magic out there waiting for us every day.  Even on Mondays.

~savor the run~

A Letter to MTT "Alaska"

yeah


Yeah I'm out that Brooklyn.


Now I'm down in Tribeca.
Right next to DeNiro


But I'll be heard forever


I'm the new Sinatra


And since (you) made it here
(you) can make it anywhere


(Yeah we love you everywhere)
….

…Cruising down 8th street
Off-white Tall Socks
 Driving so slow 


(but Birch, it's from Texas!!) 


Me I'm out that BedStuy


Home of that boy Biggie
now I live on Billboard
and I brought my posse with me


Say what up to gba, 
still sipping Mimosas


...tell by my attitude that I'm MOST DEFINITELY RUNNING IN…

New York!!!!
 Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,


There's nothing you can’t do,


Now you're in New York!!!


These streets will make you feel brand new,


the lights will inspire you…


Let's hear it for Birch cos he’s out running New York!

Dear Birch,

So…  I was listening to this a few weeks ago, and heard the Texas line and thought – hellz to the yeaH!

First things first:  Don’t get over heated on Race Day.  Got that?

You are a great coach.  I know you have a plan.  Of course, you know when I’m running a marathon and things get tough, I have some race strategies of my own to get me through.  I thought, I should SHARE THESE bits of BRILLIANCE with Birch...  Unfortunately, I don’t think they’re all going to work for you.  

You’re JUST not going to look as good as I do in tall socks and a short skirt so people will cheer for you.

Instead, I think maybe, just maybe, we need to go in a different direction with you…

On Race Day, if you get to a spot that feels rough or you start to doubt, just remember that you’re like ALASKA.  You have an inner strength that is FOUR TIMES the size of TEXAS.  Believe that.

And if you feel tired, it’s ALWAYS ok to ask for MORE COWBELL!

And if someone says “Just keep going, just keep going!”, the proper response is “That’s what she said!”

And remember that You’ve got GREAT STAMINA…. call me!

AND TRY NOT TO SUCK.

Run like SNOT!

You are Galactically Bada**.

~savor the run~

g.

Taper Madness

My gmail calendar just sent a new, "Shared Event Reminder" from my H's calendar:

MARATHON MADNESS - ALL DAY

10 days until Richmond Marathon

and I just have to think that I'm not as cool as I think I am...

Or that Taper Madness is like an infectious protein I learned about in Microbiology...

but probably I'm just not as cool as I think I am.

Thanks for letting me be a part of this blog!!

So here I stand, peeking over the edge of the cliff, knowing that I have the potential to mark one more thing off of my bucket list. Please, somebody push me, I believe my feet are stuck….

Rewind-----

You know, there are life altering things that occur when you least expect it and you decide you need to do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do. Bucket lists are formed and your life does indeed get changed in so many ways. When you’re diagnosed with a potentially debilitating disease it gives you pause. Makes you think long and hard about things in your life.

Would I have any more children? Would I go blind? Would I need a wheelchair, a cane, a walker? I would be damned if this disease defined me. Damn it all to hell, I was going to be me.

Fast forward to today, almost the eve of the most monumental thing I have ever done besides having children. But this is one of those things that got added to my bucket list in my head when I flipped off MS. The things I had to do before my body betrays me. My training showed me that certain things are changing for me, changing for maybe ever. But I will be an Ironman, or woman as it were, if I can just make it through. I have to do this.

Thank you to my friends for your never ending cheerleading. Telling me I have this when it could be a very real possibility that my body doesn’t but I am going to try anyway. Your enthusiasm and confidence in me meant more then I can begin to tell you!

Thank you to my husband and girls for supporting me along the way, and believing in me and cheering me on. Your patience and love mean so much to me. I love you more then I can ever say. I cannot wait to see you on the other side!

And thank you to my best friend Heather (this is, after all, all your fault). A training partner extraordinaire, we logged miles, secrets, laughs and tears along the way. You have become a part of my heart and family through all of this madness and I truly wouldn’t be here without you being beside me every lap, pedal stroke and step. Run your race, I will run mine. I know in my heart how well you will do!!! Rock it girl, I cannot wait to see you when I finally finish!

I know no matter what my time is that I am truly blessed to have made it through with everything I have had heaped on my physically. I wish training could have been easier too, all of the road rash, sprains, jelly fish stings and concussions will be worth it after I am done. I’ll take whatever time I get and know in my heart I am lucky to have made it this far at all.

I am ready, I am doing this, I WILL BE AN IRONMAN “we all step up to the starting line with something…no excuses”

Ginny thanks for including me on this blog!!! I was flattered when you asked me, I admire your writing, your running, your being a mom, wife and student. This has been the most remarkable journey, and I have been able to chronicle it for posterity! You're a total GBA and I am honored to be thought of as such by you!!

In your immortal words---SAVOR the run (or IM lol)