ZOOMA Women's Half Marathon (9/28)

I love Cape Cod in the Fall. It is a beautiful time to see the blue ocean against the trees that are starting to change colors. Sounds pretty right?

Well it is.

And I was able to run through it.

On Friday, September 27th, I hopped in my car and took the just under 2 hour drive to Falmouth (part of Cape Cod) to participate in the ZOOMA Women's Series Half Marathon. I was actually honored to be a ZOOMA Ambassador for the Cape Cod race so I received free entry and a discount code to offer 10% off the race entry to anyone that used it.

Since I got to Falmouth early, I decided to make a pit stop at the Cape Cod Beer Brewery. I mean I was there I had to do it. ;)

They have a lovely free tasting area right INSIDE the brewery. Cool!! You can then buy a pint of whichever brews they are pouring for $5 and browse the gift shop or sit out at the picnic benches.

After doing a quick change in their bathroom into non-comfy clothes ;) I was off to Nancy's house. Nancy, my fellow Ambassador and friend through social media, allowed me to use her guest bed for the night. Thanks Lady!! I didn't have the funds to pay for a hotel room. We jumped in the car and headed over to the Expo.

We were asked to do a ZOOMA Ambassador Q&A, but no one asked a Q. :P But, we still look spiffy.

Thanks for the pic Nancy.

Oh and I am not a Giant, I was just wearing wedges. :P

We grabbed our bibs (which also came with a ZOOMA water bottle and a YOGA mat) and headed out near the pool for the Mocktail party hosted by Honest Tea.

How amazing was our view?

Since it was a tad chilly and I failed to dress appropriately, Nancy and I headed inside for dinner and were joined by Amy (RunningEscapade.com) and her husband Chris.

It was great catching up with these folks that I sort of forgot we had to get up to actually run the next day. Whoops.

I did my nightly ritual of using my foot foam roller, my Stick and my regular foam roller and called it a night. One benefit of driving was that I could haul all my rolling tools with me. No worry of security taking them away as possible weapons.

I jumped out of bed as my alarm wailed at 5:30am. Yay early races.

Nancy and I prepped, I snacked on my KIND Bar and headed out the door to the race.

The race actually had ample parking lots which was nice so getting the car situated was easier than I expected. We met with Nancy's friend Jill, another blogger, and all headed to the Start area.

Okay I talk a lot about port-o-potties because well they are at every race. BUT, the ones at ZOOMA were fancy. They were pretty, clean, had a lever you could hit with your foot to flush and lots of hand sanitizer. I've really never seen ones like it before.

And yes I am easily impressed.

We met up with the other Ambassadors to snap a quick pre-race photo.

Thanks Nancy for the pic!

And I of course headed back to the bathroom. This time I opted to go inside the Sea Crest Beach Hotel to see if the lines were shorter. Well I went to the women's room and the line was out the door. Duh Dani! This is a race geared towards women.

So I walked myself into the men's room to use their facilities. In and out in less than a minute. Score!

I head back outside to hang with the crew until the race started.

ZOOMA offers a 10k and Half Marathon option. The 10kers were off at 7:30am followed by the Half Marathon at 7:35am.

Once the 10kers headed out, we lined up. I had never been so close to the Start Line before. The shot fired and we were off.

Again, I have never been so close to the front of the pack. It was cool to be near the front people at the beginning.

But of course after about a mile they started speeding up, which was fine by me.

For portions of the race, both 10kers and Half Marathoners were on the same course - which was neat. It was great seeing so many women out running or walking or wogging their first race.

There were even some men out there - many who were husbands, boyfriends or friends of ladies - helping and encouraging them through the race.

It was absolutely beautiful at the Start. We ran along the ocean. The sky was blue. The weather was perfect.

I dealt with some headphone issues which resulted in wrapping them around my bun with 1 of my two Sparkly Soul headbands. Hey it worked! ;)

I wish I had my phone out at the beginning of the race, where I missed all the great Cape Cod "shots."

We winded our way through the streets, which were open to traffic. We did our best to stay to the right and out of harms way.

There was a great out-and-back turnaround spot (Mile 2/3ish) where I caught a glimpse of the Leader. It was amazing to see one woman so far ahead of the pack. So as I turned around I was able to cheer for the friends I knew. I LOVE high-fiving and cheering on familiar and unfamiliar faces during a race.

When not on the open streets, we were on the Shining Sea Bike Path, which was great. It was nicely paved and made me feel safe.

I definitely enjoyed the views.

The volunteers and spectators along the course were awesome! I want to give a special Thank You to the police officers and volunteers on the open road doing the best they could do keep cars at bay. While not many adhered, I didn't hear of any runners getting injured by vehicle traffic.

My body was feeling great. I kept an eye on my pace to keep myself in check. I had a half marathon the following day so I needed to NOT burn out in this race. I wanted to let my legs fly free, but I tried to keep myself between 8 and 8:30 min/mile pace.

When did that become normal pace for me? Not sure, but I was loving it.

For some reason I was under the impression this was a flat course - not sure where I got this - but it was definitely rolling hills. It kept you on your toes for sure.

During Miles 10-12, we were going through some Falmouth neighborhoods. Not many spectators out, but the few that were I would ask them: "This way to the wine?" Some thought it was comical and some gave me blank stares. ;)

I do need to give major credit to a pair of spectators that I saw not once, but four times along the course. I even had to say something the final time. I just let them know how awesome they were and how lucky their runner was to have them. Their response: "No YOUR awesome for running." Made me smile.

As I turned to head back on the Main street, this was about 12.5 or so, there it was. The major hill at the end. Now it wasn't like it was straight up, but it was definitely nasty! ESPECIALLY at the end of a race.

I squated down a little in my form and powered up the hill. I love to thin about Spinning during hills and just power myself up as best I can.

I did it. I was at the top of the hill and ready for the final .2 or so to the Finish Line.

I had no real idea how I had done, but I was pleased to be pain free as I had been dealing with a sore foot all week long.

I finished in 1:47:35. No PR, which meant no medal. ZOOMA only gives medals to those where the race was 1) their first 10k or Half or 2) it was a PR.

But I every Finisher did get a beautiful necklace as a medal. :)

I love the message.

The race had laptops at the Finish where racers could check their results. It was then I found out...

I had finished 4th in my division. Ahhh I could've gotten a prize had I just pushed a little. DARN I missed 3rd my 14 seconds. Had I known. Oohhh well.  Next time. :P

After seeing Amy (who was injured and volunteering at the PR medal table), meeting a fellow Weight Watchers Leader (who I spotted by her Activelink) and grabbing some water, I headed to the beach to meet up with Nancy and Jill.

Another stolen pic from Nancy!

Oh yes, the post-race party was on the beach: foam rollers, massages, snacks and wine. Unfortunately the lines were all so long that I missed all that fun, but I still soaked up some sun as I stretched.

Plus it was nice to put my feet in the sand after a race ... and I was able to run into a fellow Tedy's Team member Liza! Woo!

And you couldn't beat the view...

We had to scoot as I had still have to drive to Providence after, but it looked like the festivities were going strong when we left.

Overall, the race seemed well-organized and the participants seemed happy. Lots of smiles and laughs on the beach.

One of the race directors asked my thoughts on the race, which I appreciated and was happy to share:

1) I love the offering of a 10k and Half. So many races have done away with the 10k option and it is such a great bridge as people grow from the 5k to the Half.

2) I wish the course was reversed. I would've loved to see the gorgeous ocean shots at the end rather than houses in a neighborhood. Plus that would move that hill from the Finish. ;)

3) Streets blocked off more. I know that there is more to that with city/police/race officials/etc but it would've been nice and we ended up bobbing and weaving across streets. Since I am not from Falmouth, I was honestly just following the runners in front of me and doing what they did when it came to crossing streets, etc. But I think as the race grows, the city will be more open to blocking off streets for the racers.

4) I loved the portions on the Shining Sea Bike Path, which is a known hotspot on the Cape.

5) More massage tables if possible. The line was full of 10k racers that anyone doing the half would be waiting quite a while to take part in the service. But that is more in the hands of the company offering the service.

6) I liked the special props to women completing their first race or hitting a PR. I love welcoming new racers to the sport so giving them an extra boost with something special is a great idea.

7) The overall vibe. This was a supportive community. I couldn't stop smiling during the whole race seeing women pushing themselves, cheering for others and out there enjoying moving. It is a great energy to bottle up and keep with me on those days I just don't want to run.

So thank you ZOOMA for giving me the opportunity to experience this event, to see my blogging friends and to meet new smiling faces.

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Have you ever participated in a ZOOMA Women's Series race?

The Words Of Tedy Bruschi Stuck...

Words can strike you at any time. Occasionally a person will say something and it means nothing in the exact moment, but days or weeks later the words come flooding back with full force and meaning.

Well, that happened to me today.

During my brief 2-mile run Monday afternoon, Tedy Bruschi popped into my head.

(Note: Tedy was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame on Monday night! YAY! Go Tedy!)

During one of the few times I was in the presence of Tedy during the Boston Marathon events with Tedy's Team, Tedy made a great speech.

He went on to talk about how the Boston Marathon itself was our party. That everything leading up to the Start Line was the work. We put in the blood, sweat and tears to make it to the Start Line.

So all that is left is to enjoy it - to soak up every moment of the run and PARTY!!

It meant something the moment he said it - so much that I started crying - but it truly didn't click until yesterday.

As I fret and worry about the upcoming Sprint Triathlon on Sunday and the Dopey Challenge in January, I need to let go of all of that when I hit the Start Line.

And it's freakin' spot on! I mean seriously ... and in all parts of life not just fitness-wise!

There have been races in the past where I can't tell you what the course was like or the spectators. Why? Because I was too focused on time to take in the experience.

Now as I push myself to new limits it's time to stop and smell the roses. During races it's time to ENJOY what I've spent so much time prepping for.

The hours of training are done and all that's left is the fun part - the event itself.

Which brings us to Sunday aka my first Sprint Triathlon.

I've been freaking out about it for awhile now. Why? Not so sure. I know I can do all of the elements and have been working on doing them in a row with minimal rest (aka BRICK workout).

But I think it is the unknown that really gets me. I don't know what to expect in a triathlon because I've never done one.

Well, that is the EXACT reason to "take it all in" on Sunday!

You only have one first triathlon, right?

Well, I won't have any rockin' music during the race or party favors, but I will have Tedy's words reminding me to PARTY LIKE IT'S 1999!!

(Okay, I paraphrased that last part!)

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Do you agree with Tedy's thought process? Is your race your party?

Framingham Turkey Trot Classic 5k - 11/22/12 - PR 22:20 (7:12 min/mile)

Race Bling. Amenities. In-Race Entertainment. Snacks. T-shirt Design. Usually I pick a race and judge the success based solely on the above criteria. But there is ONE THING that above all of those ... ONE THING that can truly outshine all the glitz and glamour of the race bling. That ONE THING is...

HEART.

You give me a truly compassionate, dedicated, honest and caring race director and I will run that race year in and year out.

Welcome to the Framingham Turkey Trot Classic 5k!

2012 marked the 18th annual Framingham Turkey Trot Classic and it was AWESOME.

Now, for perspective, I traveled a good 30-45 minutes (depending on traffic) to Framingham for the race. So yes there were plenty of Turkey Day races closer to my house, but I picked this one for the reason I mentioned above.

This race is put on by Tim Campion, a family friend of my uncle's, and he has done one amazing job.

The Turkey Trot began in the mid-90s with 60 runners and on Thursday he had over 1,000 people participating.

I remember the first few races as my dad used to participate back in the day and Thursday it was finally my time to run.

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The alarm went off at 5:30am for the 8am race, which was a sacrifice we were willing to make. :P

We hit the road just after 6 since we had to get a parking spot and pick up our bibs as well.

We made great time and got to the race with plenty of time. Thankfully they had a hall for everyone to hang around inside instead of out in the chilly weather. :)

There was even a snack table (seen behind us), which had some munchkins on it ... mmm perfect pre-race fuel! Yes, I had two and they were DELISH!

We were able to run into my family - aunt, uncle & 3 cousins - before the run. It was great to see how excited they were to get out on the course too.

Before I knew it it was 7:45 and time to head to the Start Line.

As usual, I didn't bother looking at the course map ahead of time so I had no idea what to expect. But, I tried to put myself up nearer the front of the group, which was full of local high school and college runners and the Framingham Running Club. After seeing that crowd, I moved myself back a little further in the pack. :P

I waited for my Garmin Forerunner 110 to locate satellites and just hoped it would finish before the gun went off ... and it did with about 2 seconds to spare. :)

Then we were off...

My legs felt HEAVY and dead. This was my first race since the marathon and just my third run since the marathon so I really didn't know how the legs would hold up.

But, once we got pas the first mile they started to shake out a little.

It was great seeing the neighbors out in their driveways cheering on the runners and the high school cheerleaders out on the course.

But, I was MOST impressed when I saw Tim (the race director) sail by me - running the race. It's rare for me to see the person in charge of the run actually participating. But, it was AWESOME.

I have known Tim for years through my uncle, but had NO IDEA he was so fast. It looked effortless to him (I hate those people because I'm jealous of how easy it looks for them).

All the time Tim was running, he was smiling and waving to the volunteers along the course, giving special thanks to the photographers, cheering on other runners and showing his gratitude to the locals who were taking in the race.

As we worked our way through the hills of Framingham (when did Framingham get hills?), I noticed that my pace on my Garmin was hovering around the 7:15-7:30 range depending on whether I was on a hill or not. :P But, I thought just maybe I could get a PR.

I was so distracted by watching Tim run AND be race director that I hadn't once looked at my overall time for the run.

Just as we passed where I knew my dad had parked the car, I picked it up a notch and wanted to burst through the Finish Line.

I saw my dad just before the Finish Line cheering everyone on and being one awesome spectator.

I clicked my Garmin and stared in amazement ... 22:21 - an unofficial PR by 2 seconds.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. But, I also didn't know which Finish Line I was supposed to stop the Garmin on so I just figured I stopped it early. I would just have to wait to check out the official results later in the day.

I found my dad and stood with him while we waited for the rest of our crew to finish and cheered on the rest of the runners.

Another awesome thing about Tim? As soon as he finished, he was right back in work mode: cheering on the racers, keeping the crowds back off the course/out of the runners way and giving out a ton of high-fives.

Simply awesome.

By the time we saw the rest of the crew finish, the results were already being posted along the wall of the hall, where people were warming back up.

I officially finished in 22:20.08 (7:12 min/mile pace) - a new SHINY PR ... I was 127th overall out of 1,029 and fourth out of 90 in my division! :) :)

Can you all believe that? Fourth in my division! Lil ol me!

Honestly the first thought was "DAMN No Award!" But then I reminded myself how far I have come and that when I started running I would NEVER have thought I would be fourth in any division.

Plus, my family is right there to take me down a peg when they think I am being ridiculous so they all had comments to make when I said the no award comment.

I just want to keep improving. That is my main goal with running. Because every run I do is another to be thankful for.

But, I digress.

I couldn't believe they already had tentative results up before we left the race. That was awesome.

The race is capped off by the awards ceremony then one impressive raffle.

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So even though this race didn't have any race medals or big fancy bands along the way. It had the love, desire and compassion of one man, Tim Campion, that permeated throughout the entire race and all the participants.

THAT to be as a runner is more important than any of the other stuff.

But, the t-shirt was one sweet long-sleeved cotton tee that I will be honored to wear around.

So when you work on your racing schedule in 2013, be sure to check out some of those local races you just might find one gem like the Framingham Turkey Trot Classic!