Cleveland Half Race Report......trains, trains and automobiles

I have run the Cleveland Half Marathon twice before, both times I booked a Hotel and stayed in Cleveland. This time I signed up too late and all the hotels nearby the race were booked, so Ken and I decided we would just drive into Cleveland the day of the race.  Having never done this before we were not sure about parking, RTA riding etc.  The website for the marathon stated that runners should be at the start by 6:00 a.m. as there would be road closures.  So.....we left Sandusky at 3:50!  Yes that is 3:50 A.M.!!!  Yikes!  That meant arising about 3:00.  I usually don't sleep well the night before anyway, but poor Ken.  Needless to say, very little traffic at that time of the morning!  Still no traffic the closer we get to Cleveland, we are thinking the race is today, right???  Parked at the West Side Market on 25th Street to take the RTA into Cleveland, got our tickets and as soon as we walked down the stairs a train pulled in....yes!   Get to Tower City, get off one train, go through the gate to catch a train to Brown's Stadium and again..immediately there is another train!  I am thinking this is going to be a good race for me, everything is going soooooo  smoothly!  Arrive at Brown's Stadium around  5:45 and still not many runners, so much for having to be there at 6:00 a.m.!  Next year we will know better.  It really wasn't bad hanging around the stadium...it was completely open and they were selling some refreshments.  We sat in the stands and struck up a couple of conversations with fellow runners.  What is so neat about this race is there are no port-a-potties at the Start, all the restrooms in the stadium were open for the runners, so you get to use clean, flushing toilets!  Let me tell you, that is quite a treat for a runner!!!

Decide that it is time to wander to the start where you line up according to your pace.  This means that being the "fast" runner that I am....I am in the rear with the walkers...oh well, I will never get used to this, but it is what it is.  I did hear a few comments from some of the runners walking by, you know the ones I mean, the ones that are jogging around, bare chested, stretching, young jocks  (sorry but they irritate me)..anyway they were making fun..pointing at the pace corral saying "this is where you belong, with the walkers"  I just wanted to slap them!!  You know what????  So, it takes me almost 3 hours to run a half, I am doing it, aren't I?  Come back to me when you are 63 years old and see if you are still running!!!!  Sorry, I digress!  Join the rest of the runners and wait for race to start.  There was a moment of silence for the Boston Marathon, then the National anthem........"Cleveland Rocks"  starts blaring over the loud speakers....I just love that, I start getting emotional, I always do this right before a race starts and my brain starts saying "why am I doing this again?"  That passes, it always does.  Takes about 10 minutes  for us at the back to get to the start and we are off!!!  I forget that the first mile is uphill, how I forget this I don't know, but it is a good way to ensure that one doesn't start out too fast.  However, I am feeling tired and sluggish and my legs already ache, not a good sign...By mile 3 I am getting warm, glad that at this point it is overcast and breezy, although why the breeze always seems to be in my face and not at my back, I can not figure.....glad I am carrying my own water.  I still don't feel that great, but keeping my pace.  Mile 5, I am starting to wear out, for some reason mile 5 is always bad for me, but I talk myself out of it...still going pretty good for me.  Miles 6 through 9 are going through some neat neighborhoods, edgewater was earlier in the race, but going through Ohio City and Tremont is nice, although I don't remember much of it, unfortunately I was dwelling on how tired my legs were.  I kept anticipating a huge hill at mile 9, which I thought I remembered from last year, but it isn't there, so I either imagined it last year or they changed the course a little.  I took a Gel at this point, but I never seem to get that jolt of energy that other people say they feel when they take one, actually I felt a little nauseous, but I got over it.

At Mile 11 we started going over the Lorain_Carnegie Bridge which is quite a climb, I had to walk a lot of it, the sun was really beating down by now, but what goes up must come down, right?  I tried to pick up my pace some going down, but I couldn't even do that for too long and I had to stop again and walk.  Mile 12 I am thinking that maybe I will listen to some music, so I put my earphones in.  I have never used music while running a Half before....I didn't like it.  Took them out, the spectator crowd was picking up now anyway as we were back in downtown.  Lots of noise and bands playing, which kind of got me going again, but then the right foot cramped up and stopped me in my tracks.....no, no...I will keep going gosh darn it!  Rounding the corner and I can see the line of American Flags leading to the finish line...I am not going to get a PR, but I am going to finish under 3 hours if it kills me!!!!!   I do finish and it doesn't kill me.  As soon as I cross the line I look for Ken and see him right away!  Yay, I made it!!!  Once again I finished a Half and at that moment I do feel proud!  My official time was 2:58:34, so under 3, not what I wanted but I will take it.

I really enjoy this Half and will do it again.  Love Cleveland!!!!

I ran 14 miles this morning in just under 3 hours!  This is great for me!  I am so excited.  I usually run a half in just under three , so to run 14 at the same is an accomplishment!  I almost bailed at mile 12, thought to myself that that was enough, but I gave myself a talking to and went for it.  So glad that I did.  The whole run felt pretty good.  Not saying, that my legs didn't get tired, because they did, they always do, but I did okay.

For these longer runs, I have been using Jeff Galloway's run/walk method.  I read , that for the marathon, he and his wife use 30 second run, 30 second walk.  I started out using exactly that this morning, or as exact as I can get, I still don't have a watch, so I count in my head.  As the run progressed I kept the 30 second walk, but upped the running.  It really does seem to work , to keep me from getting so tired.

I did register for the Cleveland Rite Aid Half marathon on May 19.  I hope, hope that I do well, I would love  to break 2:45 for the Half!  I would be a happy woman.  I will never be fast, but I would be happy with that.

I have been feeling kinda good doing these longer runs lately, dare I think that I might do another marathon?  It has been niggling in my brain the past few weeks.  What I would like to do is the Marine Corps marathon in Washington D.C. and wait until after my 65th birthday.  That would be November of 2014, since I will turn 65 Oct 31st of that year.  Then I would be in the older age group...I don't know, we shall see what happens.

Beautiful day here today.  Hopefully get outside and do some planting today.  Also cooking out for the first time this year.  Love it!

Born to run? Not really.

Some people are born to run, I am not one of them!!  In school I was very non-athletic.  You know, one of those that are always picked last for teams, left standing there while the team captain knows that they will have to pick you  because you are the only one left?  Yep, that was me, how humiliating, it still hurts.  I was a little bit on the chubby side in school, could not run fast, had no interest in sports.  In my senior year I finally decided that I could stand to lose a little weight, and I did!  Just set my mind to it and lost probably 20 pounds or so, was able to keep it off over the years, but never by exercising, I just never ate!  In my mid- 20's aerobics was the craze and  a friend and I signed up for a class at the Y, found out that I was pretty good at the aerobic thing and actually got chosen, along with some others to demonstrate at a local mall, pretty nifty for someone who had always been chosen last.  Plus, the aerobics helped keep my weight down and I could eat!  So....a couple of years later I started the running and have not quit in 35 years.  I have never been fast, or had good form, or looked like a runner, I just run.  I can't tell you how running has helped my self-confidence.  I have found, over the past 5 years, since I started running the longer distances, the running is as much a mental exercise as a physical one.  I can tell you that there have been times during a half marathon when I felt I could not put one foot in front of the other, but have been determined that I will not, not finish that half marathon!  I have had aches and pains and still continued to run.  Many, many times I really do not feel like getting up at 4:30 a.m. so that I can get that run in before work, but 9 times out of 10 I do it.  I get discouraged because of my slow pace, and always bringing up the rear at races, but I keep on, just telling myself that I am doing it, I am not sitting on a couch somewhere, I have run a marathon!  For me that is amazing and I have to be reminded many times that it is quite a feat, especially for those of us who are not fast, not born to run, it does not come easy for us, every mile sometimes is hard, but we do it and we do it over and over again.

I hope this does not sound like I am patting myself on the back and saying what a wonderful person I am.  Just wanted to emphasize that you do not have to be "born to run"  you just do it!  The satisfaction you get crossing that finish line is amazing and it doesn't diminish no matter how many time you do it, even coming in dead last, which fortunately I have so far avoided, but even if I did come in last, I did it gosh darn it, and it wasn't easy, never has been.

My gym teacher would be so proud!

I have been feeling so good lately, that is kind of scares me!  What happened?  I always run the same, wear the same shoes..etc etc...what makes us have these wonderful runs and then out of the blue, a streak of terrible runs?  Wish someone could give me a little insight into this phenomena, because I know it happens to a lot of runners.  Part of it , for me anyway, I know is the winter, but heck it still is winter around here!  Maybe it is all mental, wish I had an answer.  All I know is, for the time being, I am going to go with this feeling of euphoria I have been having with my runs.  Even the weight training hasn't been bothering me, and usually I do not look forward to that at all.  Also, I feel addicted again, like I did when I first started running, it's like I can't take a day off, I have to do something, whether it be a run, or weight training, or the walk/ jog DVD.  I have done something now for 10 days in a row and I NEVER do that!  I like the feeling, but I am a little obsessed!  Right now, I am at work wondering if I should work out over my lunch hour....never do that either.

Oh well....I will just go with it and hope that I am still motivated a month from now.

Happy running!

Oh...here is a pic of my new running shoes!  Just arrived UPS yesterday, love the colors, can't wait to take them out for a test drive.

Today would have been my Dad's 96th birthday.  He passed away almost 2 years ago now.  We didn't always see to eye to eye, but I know how much he loved me and I miss him.

What a beautiful weekend!  I was planning on doing a longish run on Sunday.  Longish to me these days is over 5 miles..  Rain was predicted for Sunday, so I decided to get out on Saturday instead.  Did 7 miles and felt great!  I haven't felt this good running in months and it is such a relief.  The weather was perfect, sunny, in the 40's and no wind.  I actually got to run without layers of clothing...just an running shirt and pants...so liberating.  Sunday ended up even better...it did not rain and temps were in the 60's, I couldn't resist and went out for another 3!  Ordinarily do not run 2 days in a row anymore, especially after I have done a longer one, but could not pass up those temps!  I didn't feel as good as I did on Saturday, but it was still good.  Today is rainy and windy and snow showers predicted for tomorrow...Spring in Ohio!

On the days that I have not been going outside to run, I am continuing to do some free weight training and the walk/jog 4 mile DVD with Leslie Sansone, this is really a good DVd and gets the old heart rate up...I really think it has helped me with my speed, believe it or not, she really has you moving continuously for about 45 minutes...highly recommend if anyone is in the market for a good workout inside.

I am a little concerned about a weird pain that I have been experiencing in my left calf.  It is a dull ache and it feels like it is going to cramp up, but it never does.  What has me concerned is I was reading an article about blood clots in runners by Jenny Hatfield and the sensation I have been experiencing is one of the symptoms.  If it continues, I will have to have it checked out.  If I had not read the article I would not even be worried about it.

Made this great potato salad this weekend:

2 poundsclean, scrubbed new red potatoes

6eggs

1 poundbacon

1onion, finely chopped

• 1 stalkcelery, finely chopped
• 2 cupsmayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste

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Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool.
2. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
3. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
4. Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onion and celery. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for an hour before serving.

Because I had such a good run on Friday, I was all set to go out and try to do a longish run this morning.  I was going to try for at least 6 miles.  Anyway, got up at 5:30 this morning, walked downstairs and saw that it had snowed overnight again!  Darn it!  It isn't much, but enough that I don't want to go out in it!  Darn, darn darn!  I am so sick of this winter, I could cry.  I know I can get out there, but it is probably slippery and it just dashed my intentions.  Guess I will wait now until it is light and see how it is.  I do not want to use the treadmill.  I really think I do suffer from the seasonal disorder where the lack of sunshine really despresses you.  The weather should not affect my mood as much as it does.  There is nothing we can do about it and I live in an area where the winters are long, long, long!  Should be used to it.  Just looked outside again, it is starting to get light, made me even more depressed, looks worse in the light.  Plan #2...I will do Leslie Sansone's walk/jog 4 miles in my living room, not the same, but better than nothing I guess, I just can't take the treadmill this morning.   At this rate I  will never be ready for a half marathon in May.  I have to say, in my younger days,  I would get out and run in any weather...I have run during sleet storms in Kansas City where I would sink ankle deep in slush!  I have run in Colorado where it was so cold one day that a person yelled out to me "are you crazy, it is 20 below zero"  , no lie, we had just moved there and I had no idea it was so cold.  But I much prefer when I am running in the warmth with sweat running down my legs, now that is my kind of run!  I totally should be living somewhere in the South.

So, do you think I have gone on and on about the weather enough?  This too shall pass, right???  right????  I live in fear of another year without a summer that occurred sometime last century.  I couldn't take it, I tell you, I couldn't take it!  

On a more cheerful note...I have to brag on my granddaughter, Mikayla.  She is 10 years old and is becoming quite a basketball player.  She played at her school earlier this year and now she is playing at the YMCA.  She is the only girl and can play with the best of those boys!  It is so much fun to watch.  My 2 other granddaughters are grreat at sports also.  Cassidy shines at softball and so does Meadow.  Meadow is only turning 10 and has been asked to play with girls much older than she.  Cassidy has always been good at softball and she is a junior in high school now  With softball season right around the corner, I am looking forward to many games.  They certainly did not get this talent from this grandmother!  I am terrible at sports, I will stick to running!  I was always the last person standing when choosing teams (Gees, I hated that feeling)  Just thinking of that makes me feel humiliated all these years later.

Okay, think I might go out and run anyway, or maybe not......

Hurrah!!!   I ran 4 miles this morning and I felt great!  First time in a long time that I had a good run.  I am so relieved.  I was beginning to think that I had lost it.  It was cold and a little breezy, but streets were dry.  Almost didn't go out, was feeling really lazy and the thought of going out in the cold for another lousy run, just did not appeal to me at all, but out I went, and I am so glad that I did.  Now I have to make up my mind whether or not to run the Cleveland Half in May.  I had a terrible experience there last year.  It was a beautiful day in May, but unusually warm for Cleveland.  In fact we had an unusally warm March last year, but then it turned cold in April and May...anyway, the day of the Half was sunny and hot even.  I felt pretty good for the first 5 or 6 miles, but by mile 9 I almost gave it up and boarded "the bus"..having never, ever not finished a race, I just couldn't make myself do it, so I kept plugging alone.  I remember thinking to myself that it was so hot and I wasn't sweating and thought that was odd.  There was a lot of walking, but I did run over the finish line with a terrible time of over 3 hours.  Saw my husband waiting for me, got some water and walked around some, feeling fine....all of sudden I started to feel very sick to my stomach and sat down on the curb, feeling worse and worse, I finally asked my husband to walk to the medical tent and get someone...while he was gone I threw up (luckily it was mostly water) and feeling very shaky.  My husband finally arrived with someone and they walked me over to the medical tent, took my BP, which was very low, and I have HBP normally....then the leg cramps started, from the tip of my toes to my waist, both legs simultaneously, I didn't know where to grab, it was awful...by the way the tent was full, I was not the only one who experienced problems that day...finally, the doctor asked my husband to hold my legs so they could get an IV in me....almost immediately I got relief.  In a few minutes, I was able to drink some chocolate milk and felt so much better.  They wouldn't let me go until I could get up and walk around the tent twice, did that, and I was done.  I have never had this happen to me before, I don't know if it was because it was so hot that day and I hadn't really run in the heat that year because Northern Ohio does not normally get heat like that in the Spring.  All I know is that I hope it never happens again!  Watch, this year it will probably be snowing!  That is entirely possible also!

Oh what the heck???  I will probably sign up for it again.  It would be nice to see the course, I felt so bad last year I didn't take in the scenery much, I was too miserable.