Rockin' And Rollin' Through Nashville

Remember that time I decided to run two marathons in a week to help Fight Stroke? Well let me refresh your memory.

A few days before the Boston Marathon I decided with the help of Tedy's Team to take the plunge and sign up for the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, which took place on April 26. Taking on this challenge meant raising an additional $1500 for the American Stroke Association in honor of my grandparents.

My pleasure.

On Thursday, April 24, I headed South.

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And was pleasantly greeted with this amazing Edible Arrangement from my girls of the #HotMessExpress. It was such a touching and sweet gesture.

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Since I was the last addition to the Tedy's Team crew heading to Nashville, I had to buy my bib at the Expo. After Boston, I decided I would drop to the half for safety reasons.

Well when we got to the Expo I realized the Full and Half were the same price. According to Rock 'n' Roll rules, you can drop down during a race from Full to Half, but you can't go from Half to Full. So just in case I registered for the Full. ;)

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We had a great pasta dinner the night before.

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Seven folks doing the Half; Three doing the Full Seven of us had run Boston on the Monday

On the morning of the race, I woke up excited. We had to leave the hotel in the 5 o'clock hour because our hotel was on the course for the full marathon. So in order to get the guests who were racing down to the Start Area, we had to get out before the race closures.

Thankfully Tedy's Team provided some bagels for us to bring on the bus so we had a snack pre-race. I packed my ENERGYBits in my pocket and was ready to run.

As we drove, I knew I wanted to give the Full a shot. The split came around Mile XX so I would make the final call then.

We were dropped about a block from the Start Line so we made our ways towards the Resolution tent to get extra safety pins. ;)

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It was chilly walking around the Start Area. We set up shop on the benches in a small square area, where Rock 'n' Roll set up their tents. But, we were lucky. My teammate Lisa's boyfriend John had stopped in a hotel to get some coffee and found a bunch of other runners hiding out. So we followed suit. We claimed an area of the group and made sure to do the last-minute foam rolling, use real bathrooms and just chill out before the race.

Another teammate's fiance was running the 5k and part of me wanted to switch places with him. ;) But he was the first to depart as his race started prior to ours.

After a final bathroom trip, it was time to head to the Start Line. I can't thank John enough for playing sherpa and carrying the extra layers we had worn.

But, before we could all head to our respective corrals - let's take a team selfie.

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It was great to get final high-fives and hugs before we all departed.

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 Dan and I were in Corral 6 together. And you know how small the race community is? Oh if you don't here is an example. As we went into the corral, there were my friends Crystal and Mindy!

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Crystal would be running her first marathon. I was sooo excited for her.

Something not new - I was so distracted catching up with my NYC ladies that I didn't realize they were doing the National Anthem and getting the party started. I think this was the farthest back I have started at an RnR event in a couple years.

But as they set each wave off, we moved closer and closer to the Start before BOOM!

We were off...

I was taking the race off Dan's pace and game plan. I had no set rules for the day except to avoid medical tents. If you missed it, here is my recap from Boston a few days prior explaining the medical tent visits.

The Country Music Full Marathon was set up in three separate out and back loops. We started out in downtown, which was quiet and peaceful. A far cry from the day/night before. It was too early for the tourists to be awake. ;)

We took a port-o-pottie break early, which was one of our smartest decision.

During Mile 2, Dan said "There's Belichick." And it was. We knew that New England Patriots' Coach Bill Belichick would be running the Half Marathon that day, but we weren't sure if we would see him or not. Of course I had committed his bib number to memory - just in case.

But there he was, he must've started in the first corral. We made our way across the street to try and talk to him. My main goal was to take a selfie with him, but he didn't seem in the mood. We said a quick 'hi' to him and let him know we were part of Tedy's Team. Kept it brief to let him get back to his run.

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Thanks Rock 'n' Roll for the pic!

Just before Mile 3, we spotted Tedy's Team leaders Zack and Lauren with signs. It was great to tell them Belichick was behind us and see familiar faces.

After a quick 'hi,' we hit the road.

5k Mark: 31:48 (10:15 min/mile pace)

The weather was hot, but there was more shade than Boston, which was appreciated.

The crowds were doing their best to rally the runners.

We were feeling good. I wondered when my legs would realize they had run a marathon about 5 days earlier.

10k Mark: 1:03:16 (10:13 min/mile pace)

And at Mile 7, the soreness settled in. Ha! It hit Dan and I at about the same time. But didn't slow us down.

I really hadn't been paying attention to pace at all since we were having such a good conversation and taking in the scenery.

If nothing else, there was a lot of beautiful houses and buildings to look at.

As we headed towards Mile 10, we saw Lisa's boyfriend John with the Go Pro. It was a great pick-me-up to see a familiar face cheering for us.

Dan and I were both wearing our Tedy's Team singlets, which have our names on them, so I am sure some people we wondering why we had done that. It is something common at the Boston Marathon, but not something I see a majority of folks do at other marathons.

Mile 10 Mark: 1:41:43 (10:10 min/mile pace)

The big decision moment was quickly approaching. Would I bang right and take the Half option or power through the Full.

Well, the breathing was under control and my legs felt tired, but not painful. So onward and upward I went. :)

We enjoyed a bit of a downhill, but looked to our right only to realize we would be climbing back up this hill only a few miles later.

Don't you hate how hills work?

Half Marathon Mark: 2:13:55 (10:13 min/mile pace)

I give big credit to Dan for keeping us in check. As the conversation rolled, there were times when we sped up and he brought us back to a nice even pace.

We knew the hills would be coming on the second half and made sure we had the gas in the tank to make it through them.

When we hit the half way mark, we were in what felt like the middle of nowhere. It was an office park of some sort, but not what we have in New England - meaning there was like three businesses in it. :P We ran about two miles in this office park/neighborhood with zero spectators.

I had heard from friends not to expect a lot of crowd support during this race, especially on the second half. So I tried to keep that in my mind and instead focus on the other participants and my running buddy.

As we came out of the office park area, we met back up with a large hill/incline. We tried to be smart and walk a good portion of it. It was hot and no one was trying to be a hero on that day.

During Mile 15-16, we met back up with the half marathon route. They were on the right side of the cones and marathoners on the left. I tried to scan the crowd to see if we would catch any of our fellow teammates out there. I didn't see any unfortunately.

We had already run with two teammates during the first half so I knew I might not see any more.

While we endured Mile 17, you could see the Finish Line chute on your right side. Oh c'mon. That is just CRUEL. :P

Dan and I had been walking when necessary.

But as we approached Mile 18, my breathing was starting to act up so I wanted to walk a little more. I freed Dan to run his race. We had decided early on that if we had to leave each other we would. In the end, it was our own races to run.

I wanted to listen to my body to make it through the final eight miles.

Oh and since I lost my partner and entertainment, it was time to take out the phone and get to picture taking!

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While walking I took this opportunity to let my social media channels know that I had decided to run the Full rather than the Half! Ha! I'm such a sneaky blogger. ;) It was great to see the cheers and shocked reactions coming through the phone.

It was another pick-me-up.

So I started running again. My game plan was to use the run-walk method the rest of the way. I wanted to stay ahead of the breathing issues that plagued me a few days earlier.

After climbing the Mile 18 hill, we were back in a neighborhood, which meant the spectators would be out there. And that they were. In full effect.

Folks were having parties on their lawns, spraying water hoses out into the streets and offering makeshift water stops for the runners.

It was the liveliness I am used to from Rock 'n' Roll races.

I almost kissed the girl giving out jolly ranchers - it was welcomed sugar.

Mile 20 Mark: 3:29:01 (10:27 min/mile pace)

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Can you tell I was excited? I was ready to eat those last 6.2 miles.

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Favorite sign of the day!

We were heading downhill - hello rolling hills - towards Shelby Park. We would be running in there for less than two miles.

But in the moment it felt like longer. There was one water stop and one band, but it was quiet. It zapped some of my energy. But the shade was welcomed.

It was at that time that I wish I had brought my music. It was now just me and my thoughts, which can get scary this far into a marathon. ;)

As we completed the Shelby Park loop, we met back up with the downhill we had enjoyed to enter the park.

I was thankful I was not one of those runners just getting to the park, but leaving it.

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I took this picture to try to drum up entries to my virtual 5k fundraiser that I was hosting to hit the final $$ I needed to raise. I tweeted this out and it gave me a boost.

As I trekked up the hill towards Mile 24, I saw my friends Crystal and Mindy running towards the park. It was great to cheer them on and to know that Crystal was still out there fighting for her first marathon finish.

It was around this time that I just started talking to the people near me. Especially if people were run-walking, I would join them. Why not make friends? I met a guy that always runs in a kilt. He hadn't properly trained for this race - having not done a training run more than 9 miles. Eek! But he was out there pushing through.

The steps ticked by. I fist pumped as a local high school cheering squad at the Mile 25 marker.

I knew I could finish.

This whole time we had a group text chat going between the Tedy's Team folks so it was great to see the half marathoners had all finished and they were checking in on the three marathoners left out on the course.

Thank goodness I am semi-decent at running and texting so I could stay in the conversation.

I bottled up their excitement and pushed on through the final Mile.

Since this was the final loop, I knew there would be crowds the final half mile.

I fist pumped again after seeing the Mile 26 sign, but then wondered: "Man 0.2 miles seems like forever right now."

But there they were. My teammates had waited for us. I was about to start crying.

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Could you tell I was happy to see them? It was the little steam I needed to get my engine to the Finish Line.

I gave it all I could for the final 0.2 and it was over.

Finish Time: 4:42:12 (10:46 min/mile pace)

My third-fastest marathon time came five days after my second-slowest. Who woulda thought?

I happily collected my medal and got ready to hit the Got Chocolate Milk tent! Even though I didn't run as Team Chocolate Milk for this race, I couldn't wait to see them!

There was Dan! He finished in 4:33:29 (10:26 min/mile pace). I knew that meant I walked more than he did in the final 8 miles, but I was happy to have finished less than 10 minutes after him.

We snapped a pic, picked up the amazingly cold wet towel they offered and headed to refuel with chocolate milk.

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It was heavenly and just what I needed.

I continued my normal RnR post-race by heading to the Medal Engraving tent. $20 is worth getting my medal engraved on-site when they have extra medals on hand in case something ends up being misspelled.

Our final teammate Carly finished 4:54:14. Heck yeah three of us in under 5 hours.

We collected Carly and limped to meet the rest of the group at the hotel shuttle. Unfortunately the shuttle stop seemed like miles away from the Finish Line. It took what felt like hours, but we finally made it and it was great to hear how everyone's races went.

We got back to the hotel and met up with the rest of the team at the hotel pool for snacks and a recon discussion.

I had felt a blister forming at about Mile 2 and it bothered me all race long. It wasn't until I took my shoe off that I noticed how bad it was.

Note: please scroll quickly through if you don't want to see it. It is so bad I have to share.

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Okay done.

After some water and snacks, we all broke to shower-change-decompress before a night of celebrating.

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Overall, the race was well-organized as all of the RnR races I've done have been. But I felt the second-half of the course was seriously lacking crowd support, as well as a music presence. It was a little sad and disheartening. I expected more from what I had heard about this race before getting to Nashville.

So if you are someone running alone, I recommend keeping music on your person for the lulls. There will be some so be prepared.

I did enjoy the race being on the Saturday, which gave us Saturday night and Sunday to really enjoy all that Nashville had to offer. :)

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Fountains

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Country Music Hall of Fame

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Country Music Hall of Fame

But can you beat that medal? Loved it.

Thanks again to Nashville for being a great host city and Tedy's Team for making it a weekend I would never forget.

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***

I was shocked at how my body held up through the two marathons I put it through in a week. I couldn't believe how much better the second one went over the first. I think what they say about being trained is right. I had put all the miles in so the body was ready to do it's best. Neither was a PR and that is okay.

I was there to push my body to help Fight Stroke and I ended up raising $10,000. THAT is the reason I did it.

***

Have you rocked and rolled through Nashville?

LA (Part 3): I rocked it & I rolled it!

Did I really run two 10ks the day before the Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon? Yes yes I did.

I woke up Sunday (October 27) morning with the realization that I was actually in LA to run that amazing Half Marathon. Ha!

I had such an amazing time between the Expo/Blogger Meetup and the Haunted Trails of the Night 10k that I couldn't wait for the Half.

***

I bound off the couch before the 5am wakeup call that morning. I was ready to go. I am always worried that if I hit snooze I will sleep through the race so I make sure to keep that little extra pep in my step in those moments. :)

Thankfully I always lay out flat Dani the night before so getting ready was easy. Ray, my teammate, wasn't running, but offered to drive me to my friend Andrea's place so she and I could drive to the race together.

Yay not having to take the Metro by myself.

It was great to catch up more with Andrea (a fellow Weight Watchers Leader) while driving to the race. We are both early birds and like to get to races with time to spare.

Since we left the place she was staying right on time and she found a "secret" parking garage for the race, we were there with plenty of time to spare. It was perfect really.

She ended up parking under the LA Convention Center (where the expo was) so I actually knew where we were. Yay! We exited the Convention Center and a block later we bumped into the Starting Line (on our right)

... and the post-party stage/party area (on our left)!

Talk about convenient.

Before Andrea and I parted ways, we ran into my Got Chocolate Milk #TeamRefuel running mate Jeremy.

Thanks for the pic Jeremy!

It was soooo nice to finally meet Jeremy after interacting together so much on social media!!

I bid Andrea and Jeremy adieu as I headed to find the Rock 'n' Roll VIP tent. I can't thank Got Chocolate Milk enough for the access to the VIP area before the races. Wicked nice to have special bag check and bathrooms.

Thank you to the Farms of Beverly Hills at LA Live for opening a portion of their website to this VIP area. I even got to take a pre-race selfie! Phew! :P

I was even able to charge my phone so I would be able to take it on the course with me.

Before I knew it it was creeping up on 7:30am (Start time) and I headed out to Corral 3. I was searching along the way for friends running, but didn't notice any of them. The course would be two different loops/out-and-backs so I hoped to run into everyone I knew along the way ... literally!

I made it to Corral 3 with minutes to spare.

I love taking in the atmosphere at races especially the pre-race vibes. You see some people that are totally calm, some that are nervous, some that are making last minute adjustments to their playlists and on this day people fixing their costumes. Yes, since this was October 27 many people we rocking some pretty sweet costumes out on the course.

I was too wrapped up in the people watching to realize it was our Corrals turn to hit the pavement.

Before the race started, I knew I wasn't going to PR so my goal was to have as much fun as possible and enjoy the race. Especially since I had run just under 13 miles the day before.

The first few miles felt effortless which made me think I was probably running at a pace slower than race pace. I was sticking with the 1:45 pace group for awhile and thought if I stuck with them great - if not, I'd be okay.

I promptly lost that group in the late Mile 2/early Mile 3 because I started taking pictures. What was I taking pictures of? The LA Coliseum. The. LA. Freakin'. Coliseum.

I was going to take FULL advantage of this experience.

Go ND! :P

Heelloooo fog!!

And there was no way I was making it out of the Coliseum without taking a pic of the Olympic rings.

Soooo freakin' cooooolll!!!

It was the happiest 10 min/mile pace I've ever had. :P

After leaving the Coliseum, I actually noticed Doctor Dribble out on the course. He dribbles two basketballs while running half marathons and marathons. A-freakin-mazing.

Can you tell I was enjoying the run? We weren't even four miles into the race yet and there was so much excitement.

Once we left the coliseum, folks were coming towards us for their loop around the stadium. I peered through the crowd looking for any familiar faces, but unfortunately didn't see any of my peeps. Darn! But there were a ton of amazing costumes out there so I was still entertained.

There was also a Mini-Marathon race going on alongside the half. Folks were running and walking 3.55 miles. It was great seeing those folks costumes, but I was slightly jealous as we passed the six-mile mark and those peeps were heading to the Finish and we had to keep going. ;)

But, I pulled up my big girl shorts and kept putting one foot in front of the other. My legs were feeling pretty good despite all the running and walking I'd done the day before.

There was a slight incline as we headed through the Financial District, which woke my legs up from the night before. You may remember those hills during the trail run - yikes! But, I channeled my Spinning training and powered up. As we approached the hilly bridge at Mile 9/10, we entered a tunnel first with a DJ and lights.

I took pictures and video in the tunnel of the wheelchair races and elite athletes zooming past us, but they came out a blurry mess. I should've stopped to shoot them rather than snap on the go. Next time.

But it was wicked cool to see those speedy guys zooming past and looking as if they hadn't even broken a sweat. The wheelchair athletes as well are such amazing inspirations. I couldn't stop cheering and yelling for all of them. Just one of the reasons I love out-and-back type courses.

The bridge - and it's subsequent incline - seemed to last from about Mile 9 through mid-part of Mile 10.

Can you see how foggy the whole race was?

There was a water station and band stationed at the top of the bridge and it was just what I needed as my legs were starting to feel the hill workout they had done the night before.

I hit Mile 10 and my legs felt like lead. I tried to remind them (and yes I talk to my body parts) and let them know that the inclines were over. As I enjoyed the downhill off the bridge, the friends I know and love started popping up all over the course. I was able to cheer for all the familiar faces I know and love. I threw up high-fives when possible, big arm waves in other instances and air kisses to anyone that wanted them.

My smile got bigger and bigger as I passed familiar faces. Have I mentioned I love the out-and-back course? ;)

Every time I saw a familiar face I got a little pep in my step.

I knew I had less than a 5k to go and I was ready to give it my all, while still trying to take pictures and tweet. Yes I was attempting to tweet and run at the same time.

We re-entered the bridge from before and I was met with a homeless person pushing a shopping cart. He was pushing the cart and trying to race the other runners. It was an enjoyable site for sure.

Sorry for the blurry pic, but again a result of running and snapping at the same time.

As I approached Mile 12, I thought it was the perfect chance to snap an in-race photo to share on Twitter and Facebook.

So on my phone screen this picture didn't look as frightening as it did on the computer. :P Can you tell how excited I was to be running ... and almost done? ;)

Once we passed that 12-Mile Mark, it was a straight shot to the Finish and I was ready. I love seeing the Finish Line in sight and giving everything you have to reach it as quickly as possible. Even if your mind is moving faster than your legs. ;)

See ya Mile 13, I'm Finish Line bound.

And there it was. Half Marathon #14 was in the books. I got my water, my medal and was off to stock up on my low-fat chocolate milk.

How cool is the Finisher's Medal?

If there's one thing RnR knows how to do, it's medals!!

I was proud to post a 1:53:19 - very respectable for me/the conditions. I never thought I would expect myself - even with stops, pictures, etc - to post a sub 2-hour Half. Oh how times change ... and I love it!

And as always, I pay the $20 to get my medal engraved on-site. I would never want to get all the way home to have someone engrave my medal only to mess up my name or time. If they mess up on-site, they have a box of medals to replace it! :0)

After chatting with social media friend/blog reader Curt from TherapyRunner at the medal engravement, it was time to head back to the VIP area and meet up with my Team Refuel running mates. :)

Gotta love a mimosa post-race, right?

I had a great time chatting with running mates post-race, especially Jeremy and Paul.

After soaking up some final minutes of free food, it was time to head out and meet up with my friend Dave for beer, brunch and Patriots football.

I wish the race had less fog, but I guess I should expect that in Cali, right? The race was well organized, had great cheerleaders and spectators along the course and was a blast overall.

***

Have you ever run Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half?

Weekly Workout Wind Up (10/10-16/13)

And just when the back stops hurting, I come back from NYC and immediately get sick. Thank you fever/cold/virus for putting me right back on myu booty! :( I'm embarrassed by this. It doesn't even deserve a recap...  

Thursday, October 3: Mandatory REST

Friday, October 4: Mandatory REST

Saturday, October 5: Rock 'n' Roll Brooklyn 10k

Sunday, October 6: Mandatory REST

Monday, October 7: Mandatory REST

Tuesday, October 8: Mandatory REST

Wednesday, October 9: Mandatory REST

What will next week have to throw in my way???

I rocked & rolled through Providence...

Redemption. I was looking to redeem myself at this year's Rock 'n' Roll Providence Half Marathon.

Why?

Well last year I ran this race and narrowly missed a PR by a minute or so. But I was beat. I lost steam. I didn't know the course. I wasn't ready for the hills. I wasn't ready.

But, 2013 would be different.

I am a stronger now. I am wiser. I know the course.

So I was ready to enjoy the day.

Pressure?

Nope.

Why?

Well, I was going to be running the ZOOMA Women's Half Marathon the day before on the Cape so I knew I wasn't going to PR in Providence.

But, I wanted to come out on the other end feeling STRONG since I felt the complete opposite at the end of last year's run.

On Saturday, September 28 after finishing the ZOOMA Half and grabbing a quick shower at Nancy's, it was time to hit the road ... after a quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts of course.

Mmmm caffeine!

The drive from Falmouth to Providence would take about 80 minutes. I cranked up the tunes and set off.

The weather was glorious and I got to Providence early enough to grab lunch before meeting up with my friend Samantha, who I was crashing with that night.

On hear advice, I dined at PJ's Pub which was close to her apartment. Funny thing was I asked them to recommend a local brew and they said: "Harpoon IPA." Sorry miss. That is local to where I live ... not you. I was looking for a RI beer, but they didn't have any on tap. Sam Octoberfest it was to celebrate my race earlier that morning.

After my GPS somehow sent me to the wrong address for Samantha's, I got myself squared away and finally found her place. She met me in the parking lot and we jetted off to the Expo to meet our friend Robin. Yay seeing blogging/Twitter friends turned real-life friends! :)

We picked up our bibs...

... must be a small crowd if this girl - yes me - somehow ended up in Corral 2.

Speaking of small crowds, the expo this year was TINY. It took us no time to do a loop - or rather a couple loops - around the Expo. I wanted to take advantage of the free KT Tape booth, but some girl was getting most of her body covered in KT Tape so I bagged it.

We then headed over to the Got Chocolate Milk booth so I could take a couple pics and meet the other Team Refuel runners.

It was awesome meeting Jill and John - two amazing athletes!

And of course we needed a pic with the chocolate mustaches!

I had missed this at the last RnR Expo so I wasn't missing my chance this time around. :P

Samantha, Robin and I headed back to Samantha's apartment to unwind, watch some youtube videos on her Apple TV and enjoy a couple glasses of wine. My kind of night.

We enjoyed a nice dinner at Chili's since both Samantha and Robin are Gluten-Free so it worked for all of us then called it an early night.

Hey Flat Dani

Why such an early night?

Because the alarm was going off at 4:30am. Again, damn these early race times.

Providence has been known to have massive crowds in the parking garage so our goal was to get there early to secure a spot ... and early we did.

Thankfully Samantha is a local and got us in and parked quickly.

This gave ample time to enjoy my pre-race KIND Bar, have multiple trips to mall bathroom so we didn't have to use port-o-potties, hit up bag check and hide in the warmth of the mall before the start.

Oh hello Finish, we would be seeing you in a few hours after this was taken.

Before I knew it it was time to head to our corrals. I made a last minute port-o-potty stop (damn small bladder) and Samantha and I went to Corral 2. Robin was already settled into Corral 1.

While standing in the Corral, I saw my Tedy's Team runningmate Jackie, who I had actually ran into earlier in the mall as well. Yay seeing familiar faces.

Before the race, the game plan was to run with Samantha, but she was feeling severly undertrained so we were going to play it by ear.

My foot was feeling sore so I had no idea what my body would bring for the run.

The Start was delayed, which was tough in the chilly air, but the announcer tried to keep it light.

It was finally time to begin. Robin and Corral 1 went off and a couple minutes later it was our turn.

From the get go something felt off in my right foot. I had been battling a pain in the ball of my right foot earlier in the week, but this was coming from the arch.

I tried to shake it off and keep running. Samantha and I hung together the first 1.8 miles or so before I needed another port-o-potty stop. I figured it I went around Mile 2 I would be golden the rest of the race. My nerves get to me at the beginning of races.

Hit up the port-o-potty, almost ran over some of the 3-mile racers (oops!) and I was back on the course just in time for the first hill of the day.

But this time I was prepared. I buckled down and pushed up. It was easier this year. The weather helped, but I just felt smarter.

I turned up the music on my X-1 Headphones, which I attach to my visor and tried to zone out.

As we approached Mile 4, I knew the big hill was coming. This is like a hill for what feels like forever, but is really around a Mile. But it just keeps climbing. I remembered it from last year.

After giving myself a fist pump for making it through that mile, the pain increased in my arch.

It actually got so bad that at Mile 5 - the transition point of the Half Marathon Relay - I thought about quitting. I was going to get my first DNF.

Oh hell no I wasn't.

The rest of my body felt AMAZING. I would keep soldiering on. I stopped at Mile 5 to stretch and started running again.

I had a huge debate with myself during the next 2 miles. I started crying. The pain was tough. I knew that if it became unbearable I would stop. I am not risking my Dopey Challenge training for one race or one medal.

As we came down a hill approaching the water, I looked up and saw this sight. I had to stop and take a picture.

The fog was so thick it looked like a horror movie. I expected something to come out at me. It was a cool sight though.

But the pain got worse. I actually took my phone out of my armband, clicked it off airplane mode and texted my wife through the tears. I had no idea why she wasn't responding until I realized it was 8am on a Sunday so she was probably sleeping.

I put my phone away and got back to focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.

As I approached Mile 9, I started feeling better. The foot started loosening up and the pain started to subside. Maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe it was the tears. Maybe it was working itself out.

But I just focused on enjoying the race.

I hit the Mile 10 marker, I looked across the street (as this was the start of an out and back loop thing) and saw Robin. I totally looked like a fan girl yelling: "ROBIN! ROBIN! GO ROBIN!" She looked fast and strong.

So I pulled from the depths of my energy and gave it all I had. I pushed through and reminded myself I had just a 5k to go! I can do that in myself. (Ummm not really but it worked in the moment)

I kept ticking the miles off with each step. When I hit Mile 12, I realized I was going to get Sub 2 - even with a half the day before and a bum foot. I also knew there was the hill approaching the Finish - it got me last year - but not this.

I pushed even harder once I saw the Mile 12 marker, but made sure to keep a little in the tank for that final hill.

I took the turn towards the Finish, squated down a tad in my stance and pushed. I gave all I had on that final hill.

There was the Finish Line. There was the Capital. There was the Chocolate Milk.

I had done it.

1:54:22.

Hell to the yeah.

With all that - half the day before and a sore foot - I finished just 1 minute and 24 seconds slower than last year. Are you serious? THAT just goes to show how much can change in a year.

Amazing.

Not sure the Chocolate Milk had ever tasted so good. ;)

Jill & I post-race

I chatted with the Got Chocolate Milk folks and headed off to get my medal engraved. I ALWAYS take advantage of the on-site medal engraving at the RnR races because if they mess up they have a whole box of medals right there to fix the mistake - not if I take it home. So it is worth the $20 to me.

Once the medal was set, I headed off to get my bag out of baggage claim and wait at the Letter X for my friends. It was so odd not having my wife there at the Finish and not seeing her out on the course. It took some wind out of my sails for sure.

Robin had OWNED the course and had delayed finding me because she needed a couple more cool-down miles. An inspiration to me on so many levels - she shed 90 lbs with Weight Watchers and completed her first Ironman in July.

Lucky to call her a friend!

Samantha finished. Her main goal. She did a great job too.

We didn't even plan to all be wearing Zensah compression sleeves. :P

It was great to spend the weekend with these two ladies. We had all done the race together last year as well, but staying together the night before made it special.

The Providence race is a great time. It is the right amount of challenge yet scenic enough to get you through it.

As always, the Rock 'n' Roll experience of having the bands along the course give you a bit of energy, the volunteers are always friendly and the spectators are encouraging.

We even hung out to watch the band for a little while. We were right up on the stage. I rarely go to concerts so that was just a cool experience.

Plus there are amazing places to grab a beer/food after the race. We had some misinformation on a couple places websites, but we ended up enjoying a great meal at Bar Louie.

But after a double race weekend it was time to head back home with happy memories in tow.

***

Do you enjoy the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series? Have you ever run in Providence?

I rocked & rolled through Philadelphia!!

Is there a better way to spend your birthday weekend than racing, exploring a new city, seeing an old friend, meeting online folks and setting a shiny PR?? NOPE!

Well not in my book. ;)

I arrived in Philadelphia on Friday, September 13th and had a great time walking around a bit with my friend Joann, who I've known since 7th grade (I'm 31). We hit a few local establishments before calling it an early night.

One of the best ways to explore a city - in my opinion - is on foot so I headed out bright and early Saturday morning (September 14th) for a little shakeout run before the following day's half marathon.

It was beautiful. Joann lives right by an entrance to the bike path so I hopped on and just let the legs lead me. I was planning on just running 2 miles, but I had something I wanted to see over a certain bend so I just kept running. I honestly wanted to keep going, but had to bring myself back to reality knowing I had a race the next day.

Thankfully Joann doesn't mind walking and Philly is a wonderfully walkable city so instead of driving or taking a bus or taking a train, we walked from her apartment to the Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Expo. It was a great way to hit some of the "must sees" of Philadelphia and the weather was beautiful!

Rocky and I conquering our dreams!!

I couldn't ask for a prettier day to explore a new city!

LOVE - wish my wife had been with me so we could've taken a cheesy photo together

We had such a great time walking and talking that before I knew it we had finally made it to the Expo.

After picking up my bib...

I made sure that one of my first stops was to the KT Tape booth to get my knee all taped up for the following day then it was time to see my favorite people: Got Chocolate Milk & Team Refuel.

Should I host my own radio show? ;)

Joann and I wandered around the Expo, trying out some free samples, running into familiar faces from Boston (yay Kelsey) and making sure I nabbed a sweet pic in front of the green screen.

I should wear these glasses all the time, right?

Following the Expo we hit up the famous Reading Market and continued our sightseeing/trek back to her apartment. We saw almost all historic landmarks Philadelphia had to offer as well as some of the most historic taverns. Balance, right? ;)

We had a lowkey/chill dinner before I called it an early night. I had an early wakeup call with the race.

Joann was gone, but thankfully she had a full length mirror so I could still do my pre-race selfie. Important or the race won't happen. :P

I got myself ready nice and early so I could hit up Dunkin Donuts first (hello coffee) and give myself plenty of time to get lost walking to the Start - just in case.

I did love the art on the walls of a certain bridge underpass as I walked to the Start.

It gave me something to think about as I ran later.

Thanks to Got Chocolate Milk & Team Refuel I was able to hang out in the VIP tent prior to the race and meet up with some of my teammates.

The wonderful Erika & Angela

The VIP tent was sah-weet. They had snacks, a special bag claim as well as Elite athletes all over the place. I felt extremely out of place, but had a great time sitting and chatting with my teammates. It was also nice to have a special area with bag claim and port-o-potties to use before heading to the Start Line.

Apparently I was too busy chatting, having my pre-race KIND Bar and Energybits and using the bathroom to realize I was cutting it close to the Start.

I had to hightail it over to Corral 4 and made it pretty much just in time.

Before the race started, I tried to tell myself to just take it easy. I was trying to use the race as a simple long training run. BUT I was also told that Philly was one of the flatest courses around and a great place to PR.

My mind and body were torn. Once the Start gun went off I said I would listen to my body. And no matter what enjoy the run.

And from the get go I had to pee again. I had to talk with myself of when to stop and use the port-o-potty or skip it. I also was sad to know I had zero people watching me along the course. I get sad when I don't have even one spectator I know personally.

But as I turned the corner (around Mile 2 I believe), there was a smiling face I was happy to see. The one and only Mission Meltdown (aka Dre). We know each other through blogging. He has one amazing infectious smile. I was BEYOND happy to see him. Plus he snapped this pretty sweet action shot.

I used his energy and love to push through the rest of the race.

I decided to hit a port-o-potty before the 5k mark and I was happy I did. Short line so the whole experience took under 45 seconds.

Once I left that spot, I was golden the rest of the race.

I just kept trying to enjoy the scenery around me and take in the experience. I actually was around the same few people the whole race so I made it my mission to try and stay with them or ahead of them for the rest of the race. Sometimes during long races you need to play games with yourself to distract yourself from the time.

I also was using a pacing bracelet for the first time ever. I picked the 1:45 bracelet out of the bin at the Expo. My previous PR was 1:44:30 so I thought having the bracelet might be a nice experiment to see how well I did.

It actually helped me make up time after the bathroom stop. :)

Philly is legit flat/downhill folks. We kept going down and down and I thought to myself at some point we HAVE to hit a large hill, yet we didn't.

I was making glorious time and my body felt awesome.

It was around Mile 7 that I realized. I might hit a PR if I play my cards right, but if I miss it - it will all be because of my darn bladder. :O)

I was cruising along listening to the convos of the folks around me when I came across a Rock 'n' Roll and Team Refuel legend - George (probably during Mile 8). We were online friends, but had never met in person. All of a sudden he came up next to me. It was great to have someone to chat with for a couple minutes - especially someone you have been wanting to meet in person for awhile now.

Every time I hit a Mile Marker, I checked my Garmin and checked my 1:45 pace bracelet. I was on my mark of trying to stay at least 30 seconds ahead of the pace band.

As we hit Mile 10, I just told myself "You just have a 5k to go - kick it up a notch." I tried to give it everything I had. I wanted a PR so bad I could taste it.

I tried to just focus on passing people - it takes my mind off the PR - and keep myself strong.

We were still on a slight decline, which confused the heck out of me. If you go down, at some point you have to come back up ... except in Philly. :P

As we passed the 12 mile mark, I ended up near someone running in jorts (jean shorts). I COULDN'T have this person beat me so I had to et in front of him.

I saw the Mile 13 mark and the road finally started to have an incline.

Of course!

Of course it would incline during the last tenth of a mile.

But I dug deep and gave it everything I had.

I crossed the line, grabbed my medal, took my post-race photo and finally looked at my Garmin. Unofficial time of 1:44:08 ... a freakin' PR!!! Ahhh!! Even with a 45 second port-o-potty stop.

I headed over to see my peeps at the Got Chocolate Milk tent ... I needed my sweet sweet After of chocolate milk.

I even got to snap a pic with George after he finished.

Love his hair! :)

After chatting with Lindsey from Got Chocolate Milk, it was time to head to the medal engraving tent and get my medal engraved. It is totally worth the $20 to me. I do it at each Rock 'n' Roll event. Why do it onsite? Well if they mess it up, they have a whole box of medals sitting next to them where they can redo it. You wouldn't get that if you waited til you got home.

The man told me I had an official finish time of 1:44:12. Still a PR by 18 seconds! :) Hell yeah! I jumped up and down!

Oh I'm sorry, does that say SUB 8 min/mile pace for a freakin' half. Yes it does. Whhaaa??? Me. Lil 'ol me. It is CRAZY what my body can do now. I am loving every moment of this adventure.

After my medal was all snazzy, it was time to head back to the VIP tent and wait for my Refuel teammates. The one thing I dislike about the RnR events is their post-race beer choice - Michelob Ultra. I just don't like wasting calories/Points on that beer. I have specific beer taste. ;)

BUT, when I went into the VIP tent, there were mimosas. Oh yes I will have one of those ... thanks!

I LOVED the medal and really needed to thank Team Refuel for the chance to run this race.

I added my own sparkle thanks to this Sparkle Athletic skirt.

As I was enjoying my mimosas and snacks (mmm bacon), other teammates starting trickling in. It is just such a treat to meet these online friends in real life.

What a great crew! Thanks Angela for the pics!!

This was a great great race. It really is one of the flatest courses I have ever run on. It was scenic. The bands along the way were rockin'! The volunteers were energetic. And the crowd - as always - was lively!!

Would I recommend this race? For sure!

After hanging with the crew for awhile, it was time to head back to Joann's house, grab a shower and hit up lunch with Joann. Sunday afternoon we finished up some touristy stuff, but called it a night early. Ordered in some sushi for a pre-birthday dinner and watched a movie at her place.

A lovely end to a lovely day as I had an early wakeup call the next day to head home. Yes I got to travel on my birthday. :P

Overall, it was one truly amazing weekend. I was surrounded by so much love, earned a shiny PR and just enjoyed the experience. I am one lucky lady for the opportunities I have received.

Until next time Philadelphia...

Want to Run, Rock & Roll through Philly with me?

Annddddd the winner IS:

a Rafflecopter giveaway CONGRATS!!!! Thank you to everyone that participated and big thanks to our Sponsor!!!

***

Sooo... I announced on this week's episode of Dani Dishes (my weekly vlog) that I was lucky enough (thanks to all of your votes) to make Got Chocolate Milk's Team Refuel once again. Well, this amazing opportunity allows me to run Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series races around the country ... but now it can help YOU out too. How? Why? What? Crazy talk Dani! Nope. I'm serious. *** I LOVE the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. I participated in 2 in 2011 (both in Chicago) and 3 of their races in 2012.

I have done the RnR Tuneup 5k in Chicago

RnR Chicago Half twice (2011 and 2012),

2011 (left) & 2012 (right)

Providence Half

and Savannah Full.

There are many reasons why I like the RnR Series ... here are a few: *Well Organized *AWESOME medals *You get extra medals the more RnR races you participate in in a calendar year (hello extra bling) *Great crowds *Amazing music along the course to keep you pumped *** In 2013 I will be running in 4 Rock 'n' Roll races in 2013: Philadelphia, Providence, Brooklyn & Los Angeles. On September 15 (the day before my 31st birthday), I will be representing Team Refuel the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Philadelphia.

This will actually be my first trip to Philly and I cannot wait. Well, Team Refuel has provided me with a sweet little prize pack for one lucky blog reader in the Philly area. YOU could win a Refuel visor, VIP access to the Start/Finish line AND a FREE entry into the race!! Whhaaa??? YAY!! So here’s how to enter:

The giveaway will run from Friday August 30 (10am ET) through Friday September 6 (10am ET)!

The winner will be selected and announced on Friday!