Maryland Half Marathon-race recap & Dozer the dog!



13.1 miles in Howard County

 This was race #3 in a row of my crazy running plan. I wanted to go out and get my self a new PR given my legs were going to be ready and they had 2 races (Island to Island half & Fredrick Half) to get warmed up BUT...............I ran into this furry guy around mile 5 or 6. As you know I love my self a dog but this guy looked like he didn't belong in the middle of a sea of half marathons. He was trotting along the course acting like he was running with someone. I asked a few fellow runners do you know who's do? Is that your dog? and even Hey doesn't it seem like this dog got out of someones yard? Everyone that I asked sort of brushed it off and said he will go home or knows where he is. Really? I know if it was Milo I would be freaking out  and if was the owner of Dozer I would be worried. Well in Dozer's case his owners didn't know he broke out of the fence and joined a half marathon. I ran with him between miles 5 and 6 threw a neighborhood. I even at one point stopped to see if he would let me get him by the collar to walk him over to some people who were cheering the runners on at the end of there driveways. Dozer didn't like me trying to get his collar so he darted off and I lost him. My friend Kim in my running club was cheering some of us on and she later told me at the finish that she saw him around mile 9. This 4 legged guy was booking it. In fact he finished 10 minutes ahead of me. What the...............? I guess it was those 10 minutes that I was using to ask people, stop and pet him and talk to him that cost me those extra few minutes that that is OK. I enjoyed the course. The first 5 miles were killer! Rolling hills, back country roads and full off nice views. Last year it was in Baltimore County and next year it will be the same course. The race organizers said they will do 2 years in each county in the state of Maryland to bring the money spectators and runners bring into the city/county. Just another great reason to run this race.


Running buddy Dozer







Dozer got a medal for running the half marathon! what a good boy



http://www.ummsfoundation.org/dozer

Here is a little bit of info on the University of Maryland and the Cancer Center.

The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center

The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in treating cancer, using a philosophy of integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to clinical care. Recognizing that a team approach is the most beneficial way to manage cancer, the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center has developed a multidisciplinary program for treating all stages of cancer.

The University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center (UMGCC) recently received a National Cancer Institute Designation in August 2008 and is listed among the Top 50 Cancer Programs in the United States by U.S. News and World Report!

UMGCC’s rich tradition of treatment, research, and education, combined with its continuing commitment to making patients its primary focus, gives the center its outstanding reputation across Maryland and throughout the United States and the world.

To visit the Cancer Center’s website, please visit:
www.umgcc.org

Kissing Milo when I got home because I was so happy he was HOME!

really good kids tent but most important this is where I got my free ice packs.

Mom and I enjoyed our free iced coffee that was a plus!

my HUGE medal!

see it glitter?

They not only gave us a great medal but a great shirt too. the state of Maryland is formed out of runner guys. So cute!

So all in all I was happy that I was able to finish 3 half's in 3 weeks! My legs are rather sore and I am so thankful my next race isn't until Zooma on June 5th. I need sometime off of racing. lol....

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day!!!

Long weekend has been wonderful and much needed. Summer is here and the weather is wonderful!! And today is the official kick off to training for my fall marathon(s)! As you are reading this I am in hopes I am hitting the pavement and haven't hit the snooze on the old alarm.  My plan is to get up when Mr.P goes to work. Yep today he should be home honoring the men and women of our country but instead its one of the busiest beer holidays so he is hitting the pavement in his khaki's and polo shirt and getting the liquor stores refilled with all the beer America is consuming. Since I am off today and have nothing really to do except wait around for him so we can officially open the pool, I figured it would the perfect morning for a run. 

the wall up close

each star is a hero who has died or has been taken from us. this only represents a small few.

So today I want to say THANK YOU to the men and women who have fought for our country.

THANK YOU for those who have died for our freedom.

 Most important THANK YOU for being such brave soles.

Honoring our fallen in DC 

This is in honor of Grandpa V and Grandpa H who died and served our Country 

This is in honor of Uncle Larry who died on the line for our Country. He was taken from us before I was able to meet him. From what Mom tells me about him... I would have loved him.

Take a moment today to remember!

Love,

C. 

Fredrick Half Marathon-race recap



Ready to go!!





The Fredrick Half Marathon is my official 5th Half Marathon in 2011! OMG Have a I really run 5 in 5 months? I am crazy and didn't realize it until just now. I have been wanting to do this race for sometime now and was a little unsure about it. To be honest I don't know anyone who has run it. I have read about it, seen pictures on FB and have read other bloggers race reviews but all of them were blah. So that lead me to believe this little city as going to be blah. It was beyond what I expected. I didn't expect to see such friendly faces on the side of the course. (granted everyone who comes to watch a race is friendly but the people who lived in the neighborhoods are who I am talking about) The skyline was full of old churches and buildings. The parks were beautiful (exception of the high school where someone was cutting grass and trying to kill me), the old homes were amazing and the water stops with GU were plentiful.

The weekend before this race was the Island to Island Half in Ocean City Maryland and I ran that with a couple second PR. I was thinking running a back to back even would be like the National Half Marathon and the Cherry Blossom 10miler for me. Smooth, simple and PR filled. WRONG!!!!!! The week leading up to Fredrick I started getting the sniffles and it went into a full on cold. Cough, headache, chest full and nothing but non stop blowing of the nose. OMG how am I to run a half marathon if I can't even walk to my car from my house 25feet with out getting out of breath? Well I took very good care of my self, drank plenty of water and go tons of rest. It still meant for a long 13.1 miles for me. I didn't set a PR but I did finish the race in 2:18. Not bad since every few miles I would be sucking on a Halls to get me threw it. I did at one point around mile 3 or 4 walk for a while but that was because someone had the bright idea to cut the grass. Didn't this grass cutter man get the memo that people are running a half marathon and some might not be able to breath? Geesh some people.  

 


Corral for the 2 hour finish. I didn't finish in a PR of 2 hours. Oh well.





Mile 1-2

around mile 3 we ran past a Costco

around mile 4 or 5



Fredrick skyline





A garage sale in the middle of a half marathon. I had to take a picture!!!

 mile 6

One of the best signs I have seen in a long time

squished on the side of the road or known as the gutter

Some where along the course around here mile 8 or 9 is where I saw MM. I was so happy to see her because I wasn't feeling so well and really needed someone to tell me to push my self. We spent the next few miles chatting and catching up. I really haven't gotten a chance to talk to her and catch up for a while. I like to talk to her about somethings when other friends are not around. This was also just 1 day from when I found out I had skin cancer so it was hard for me to want to talk about that to any and everyone. I was more worried, scared and some what ashamed. I am not sure why I was feeling ashamed but for some reason I was. It's not my fault my mother is a red head, fair skinned woman or my father is blond with light color skin as well. Nothing to be ashamed but that was what I was feeling in that moment.

walking right threw the middle of the auction on our way to Katie and MM's cars

tractors ready for auction.



Finish line and people gathering to watch the last few half marathoners come in.



Finish line festival

Super cute picture of MM and I (too cheap to buy these over expensive pictures)

Sweet medal and half zip shirt

Found some fellow Half Fanatics at the beer stand. Go figure?!?

We finished the Half. Hooray!!!

All in all for me the race was pleasant. I got to spend some time with a couple of girl friends, meet some new friends and enjoy a new city via my running shoes. This race is part of what they call the "double". This means if you run the Fredrick Half Marathon and the Baltimore Half/or/Full Marathon they will give a 3rd medal. The race company who puts on these 2 events knows how to make bling. This past year I ran the Baltimore Full Marathon and got a HUGE and I mean HUGE medal. Granted it was the 10th anniversary but the Fredrick Half I have now hanging is not that far off of the big bling from last year.

Since I run this race and plan to run the Baltimore Full this fall I will get to collect a medal. Below is a past medal they have given out for the "Double".



Funny Foto Friday and I can totally make fun of my self!

Tonight I went digging around in my pictures looking for a specific picture to send a dear friend and found this picture of my self. OK I can totally make fun of my self and at the same time Mr. P got lucky catching this one too. This was taken in Punta Cana last year and YES I do have a swim suit on as well. 

I was doing a little body surfing and end up getting caught in the surf and washed up on the beach. 

Looking like a super model hu? lol

Then I found this picture of me! Ok the real story behind this is I was standing enjoying some music from the Kelly Bell Band and a butterfly lands on me. At first I thought OMG and this picture was created my mistake. Then I thought about it for a second and realized this isn't going to sting me or bite me so I ended up taking a nice picture. 

Wine festival 

Then I found this picture! OK I have no idea what year this ways maybe 2 years ago but what the freak are we doing?!? I can't believe I have this picture of MM and I. She would die or totally do what I am doing and make fun of her self!!

So last but not least for funny foto Friday is a picture Mr. P took of me when I was about ready to get really Little Miss Grump Pants on him. Well not really him but we were in Cancun Mexico and the hotel had NO yes NO A/C. What sort of tropical destination has a hotel with broken A/C on a day when it was 102'? OMG I could have killed someone that day from being so hot!!

Hope these foto's of funny Friday are just as good of a laugh as they have been for me. Have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Do you have any fun plans?

We are meeting friends on Saturday and doing our 1st mountain bike ride on Sunday. Should be beautiful weather here too.

Love,
C. 

Survey says…………..

 I have seen a few of my favorite blogs that I tend to stalk read or check in on daily do a runners survey so I figured that would be another fun thing to do on a Thursday and give you all a chance to get to know this side of me.

What is your favorite type of cross training? 

Mountain Biking but I can only do this in Spring/Summer/Fall around here. We have our first 10 mile bike ride this Sunday and I so excited. I love bike riding with Mr. P.

What is your favorite song to run to? 

Of all time it has to be the theme song to Rocky but the song I tend to repeat is OMG by Usher. I have no idea why but I can sing OMG, OMG a thousand times. I know sick hu? I don’t even like Usher.

What brand of shoes do you wear? 

Brooks!!! I love them and my favorite pair (almost warn out and about to retire to yard shoes) is the Ravenna.

Do you wear a hat when you run? 

No! Stupid, bad and dumb I know!!!! Given I was diagnosed a couple of weeks with Skin Cancer I am going to be wearing a sun hat running from now on. I ordered a running visor but it’s on back order and a regular visor just makes my forehead itch. I need a proper hat.

What temperature is your favorite for running? 

Cool. I have PR’d in temps around the 40’s with shorts and tanks on so I think that is my temperature for sure.

Do you have any big races coming up? 

YES next week.

*Zooma on Sunday, June 5^th. I have a running buddy running with me on this one and it is her first race too. So excited!!

*Baltimore Marathon Saturday, October 15^th

*Marine Corps Marathon Sunday October 30^th

What is your favorite distance? 

13.1 by far. I have completed 10 half marathons to date and seemed to find my self enjoying this distance the best. Although I have completed 1 full and have 2 full on the schedule this fall. Might also be the reason why I joined the fun group of fellow runners called the Half Fanatics. I have made some nice friends and have found a lot of friendly advice from some of my new found friends.

What's your favorite post run snack? 

Slim Jim’s from my hubby! He started this in 2009 after I completed my first ever half. He sent me a Slim Jim bouquet full of them too to my office the following Monday. Such a good man!!

The other post run snack I enjoy is a nice carb filled lunch soon after a shower of course. Ok you can't see very well and this is not a running picture but this is a crazy night in Tampa where we had to stop and get me a Slim Jim and Twisted Tea. HUGE Twisted Tea, HUGE Slim Jim and a really crazy sign of things they sold in the gas station in Tampa. That is how much I love Slim Jims. lol

 

What's your FAVORITE race?

The Portland Half Marathon on 10-10-10. My mom and my dad came to watch me run in monsoon rain (also known as Oregon weather). It was also the same day as RJ’s funeral and the only reason why I ran. I ran in honor of him in 2 hours plus minutes of rain. I was standing in my coral getting soaked. When I hit the start line my underwear was wet.

Soaked to the bone but so happy I finished it and both parents were able to attend.

Do you wear a Garmin?

Yes! OMG what did I do with out it? It helps me with my GU intake, pacing my self because I tend to go way too fast the first 6 miles and burn out. I have found if I watch my Garmin every few miles I stay at a more even pace.

What race is your favorite medal from?  

I have a couple favorite ones in fact for a few different reasons. I have 3 in fact.

My first birthday event, family vacation and PR

Looking VERY tired but my first Medal with my whole set of sisters, father and step mom. Not to forget Mr. P



I have my first FULL as my favorite



How long have you been a runner? 

Since 2009 when someone told me once that doing a Half Marathon is the hardest thing on earth. After that I thought it can’t be that hard so many people do it. So I talked my girlfriend Mary-Michael into running our first half together. After that it was over for me. I have a need to race. When I don’t have something scheduled I get a sense of depression. Runner’s depression?

My first race and MM and I were on TV too!!

Do you run with your engagement/wedding ring on? 

NO! I don’t like to wear anything that makes me vulnerable to being stalked, raped, dragged into a strangers car or even killed over a piece of jewelry. I have read so many stories about this exact subject. In fact I don’t wear my jewelry to races as well. Not for that reason but because I find my fingers get swollen.

Hope you have a wonderful day and can you believe it's already Thursday and tomorrow is Friday. I can see a long weekend just peeking at me!!

Love,

C.