That time I did a 100 yard dash

Thanksgiving is a big race day for runners, walkers and people who are into avoiding cooking, cleaning or setting the table. Runners all know that the local Turkey Trot is a good way to burn calories in advance of the big meal, get some sportz in for the day, and, you know, get out of doing chores. People who are into avoiding cooking, cleaning and setting the table should buy a pair of running shoes and sign up online. (You're welcome.)

Knowing I couldn't miss a chance to head south and see my little niece for the long weekend, I posted on Facebook to figure out what the race situation was in Raleigh. With multiple recommendations to do the Ridgewood Turkey Trot, I was sold. The RTT had the added benefit of three different distance options: 8k for people who wanted to sweat, a 1 mile fun run/walk for people interested in something a little less scary and best of all, a 100 yard dash for people 7 and under.

With her parent's permission, I signed my 1 year old niece up for her very first race. #hugewin

Thursday morning we put on our best running outfits and headed out. The 1 mile event went first, followed by the 8k run and then the kid's run. Not wanting to miss any of the fun, I decided the 1 mile walk would be a warm up for the 8k. 

We headed off into the fray with my niece in her stroller, cheering and waving her cowbell at everyone. My sister Nicole mentions to me that she can run one mile at her gym in 10 minutes. Big mistake! I had no idea she was interested in speed! 

"You'll never be able to run this in 10 mins if you are pushing a stroller!" I told her. 

"You're right," she said. "Kevin, she's all yours."

Her husband took over the stroller, but we were still moving a bit too slow for her 10 minute mile and as we approached the half mile turnaround, I offered to take over the stroller. I really never expected them to run, I just thought it would be fun for the crew to head out and get a bit of exercise...but with the stroller off their hands, and only a half mile to go, neither one had any excuse, so - I took off! 

I kept looking back over my shoulder to see how they were doing, and they were running! Side by side, and a bit behind me, so I slowed down a little to let them catch up. Once they were within shouting distance, I picked up the pace again and we ran it in. So. Much. Fun. We crossed the line in a little over 11 minutes.

I told Nicole we can definitely break 10 next year. We should probably shoot for 9!

Next up was the 8k. With some last minute encouragement from my fans, I was off.



Pre-race high five

I'm not sure how, but this was the fastest race pace I've ever done. Probably the super fun warm up. To top it off, I was met by screaming fans and a decorated parking lot with a huge chalk GO KAREN! Awesome.

Finally, after the race course cleared, bananas were consumed, trucks were played with, mulch was dug in, and we ran away screaming from some people dressed as turkeys (kind of scary if you are small) it was time for the 100 yard dash.

Pinning on her first race number

I had no idea how this would go off, but it was great. Once the kids figured out what was going on, even the really little ones started running. My niece ran with a handful of mulch (good luck charm?) and waved it at all her adoring fans cheering and screaming along the way.

Some little kids would just randomly stop and sit down in the middle of the course. They'd then hop back up and run a bit before sitting back down.

Please note the children behind us in this picture. One is sitting down and another is going the WRONG WAY. They have a lot to learn about racing.

We didn't stop (though we might have paused a few times) and she definitely sprinted to the finish as the crowds got louder and she heard the word RUNNING shouted a lot - she knows what that means! Not to brag, but she did a sub 90 second 100 yard dash. 1:29 and change. AND, she got a medal - which she quickly explained to us was actually a necklace.

The mulch made it all the way to the finish line.

It went great with her purple sparkle hooded sweater and pink legwarmers. It was a pretty amazing day.

So this kid has done her first running race and she got swim lessons at the YMCA from me as her birthday gift this year. Can anyone guess what she might be getting for Christmas?

Not my problem.

I am one of those people who happily gives directions to tourists, holds the door for people, lets courteous drivers into my lane (but not cabs, never cabs) {or people with Duke stickers on their cars}, helps newbies with sportz questions, loan things to friends, shovel snow out from old ladies' cars (not that they should be out driving anyway) but you know, an upstanding member of society. However, there are also plenty of times when I'm happy to just say, whoa, that's so not my problem, and walk away. Usually it entails people being jerks, people being loud and offensive, people being manipulative, people taking advantage of a situation, and did I mention people being jerks? But sometimes there's a gray area.

I read a post yesterday on Endurance Isn't Only Physical that got me thinking about something. Tricia wrote that she had once been overweight. Ok, actually she said this:

      "But I was obese. I was morbidly obese. I was dying from being fat."

She said she wished someone had said something to her. Ok, actually she said this:

      "Did I need someone to tell me? Emphatically yes!"

Also, she said this:

     "The dirty little secret behind being morbidly obese is you don’t get that way simply
     because you like food, you get that way because you're hurting over something. You
     aren't feeding your body, lord knows you don't actually need that much food, you're
     feeding your hurt. I know that better than most. So while weight is a symptom, I’m
     really addressing the hurt."

Wow. I've never had to deal with this. Not yet, and hopefully never. I definitely keep an eye on my weight in terms of how my clothes are fitting and reign in the candy corns when my pants get tight. Training for endurance races means you're pretty much always hungry, so what you choose to stuff your face with matters. But that's not even the point of this post.

The question I have for people who read this is: what do you do, if anything, if you see someone who is the opposite of obese? Someone who is clearly destroying their body by NOT eating? I mean, I guess the answer depends on how well you know the person. Which, in my case, although it's someone I see almost every day, is not at all. There's a girl who goes to my gym. She's always there when I am. She's usually doing a variety of sportz. She's not just thin, she's skin and bones.

The reason I really started to notice her is because we swam side by side one day and, I hate to say this, and I really don't mean it in a rude way, but she smelled funny. Not bad like Dude, take a shower, but just sort of off. Her body was clearly angry with her. I know it's none of my business, and I don't know her, and there's nothing I can do, but it's hitting me in the head and in the heart somewhere between "I really should sneak the phone number for a therapist into her locker" and "Not my problem."

Football and Feats of Strength before 7am

I'd like to say I'm going to go with the flow and do a Wordless Wednesday post, but I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut. In fact, sometimes I have to type stuff out and delete it. But then I can't even leave it at that, I have to TELL people that I've typed stuff up and deleted it. You know what your mom said, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

But these pictures ARE something nice, and so was my run and even though there's absolutely no need to explain any of these photos captured along the route of my morning run, I am going to.

<Unlrelated Tip> If you really do need to do an easy run, bring your camera (or your phone) and take pictures of stuff. It makes it difficult to go too fast when you are running, phone in hand ready to snap anything nifty or awesome that comes across your path. </unrelated tip>

Lucky me. I have an amazing morning run route. I get to go past all kinds of wonderful things that people travel from all around the country just to get a glimpse of, take pictures of, and experience. My run starts off with this view of the White House. The Monument is just peeking out from behind. Pretty cool. 

I headed down 15th street and got to see the Washington Monument just as the sun was just coming up. No words needed.

When I got over to the mall is when the fun began. Look at these dudes doing feats of strength. Shut up! They are carrying heavy things down the mall. This is so awesome for so many reasons. What you can't quite see is the guy on the right is holding something really large and presumably heavy over his head as he walks. The guy in the middle has 2 rather large kettlebells. RAR! I love feats of strength. They make me happy.

This is the merry-go-round near the Smithsonian. I didn't realize how sad they were if they weren't on and spinning around and playing music and kids weren't dancing around and laughing. Don't worry, merry-go-round, you will see some action this weekend. I'm sure of it. It's going to be another one of those super busy, lots of stuff going on, people everywhere, beautiful Washington, D.C. weekends.

Morning sportz! These people were playing football right in front of the Capitol. This also made me happy. Football! At 7am! In front of the Capitol! Imagine! I love it! Good job, footballers!

Here's the Capitol. Watching the game. Quietly glad neither team is "skins".

This guy wins for best running outfit, possibly ever. Neon orange arm warmers. Tattoos everywhere (you can't see them, but I promise they are there.) [And, I know tattoos aren't technically an outfit per se, but I am counting them as part of his ensemble. Because it's my list and I can.] Sort of camo, sort of weird patterned cargo shorts. Blue headband. Compression socks. Guy, I hope your run this morning was as awesome as your outfit. You win.

Why I can't get closer to the Washington Monument right now. (You probably can't read it but it's still shut down from the EARTHQUAKE, aka, when I saw my life flash before my eyes because I was on the 12th floor of a building that shook like crazy and I knew, just KNEW I was a goner.) [But everything was fine.] {Well, except for the Monument.}

But it's still looking pretty good. And all the flags are doing their job representing. So I took another picture. Mostly because I love America. Especially this morning.

That was fun. Who knew that phone cameras would be able to take such clear pictures of wonderful things? Happy [Non]Wordless Wednesday, people. I tried. Well, not really.

Friday Fashion Facts

I've seen a lot of bad fashion this week (well, I guess there's a lot of bad fashion every week, but this week stood out.) This always happens when we're sort of in between seasons. It's chilly in the morning, and everyone hopefully wears their adorable tights and sweaters and then by the afternoon, it's sunny and warm and everyone is sweating. You just can't win. I've been wearing a lot of generic, boring, noncommittal outfits in an effort to stay under the fashion radar.

In my best effort at giving back, I've consolidated a list of Friday Fashion Facts to share with you. I feel ok admitting that some of these fashion disasters were of my own making. On the other hand, there are a couple of genius ideas in here, so it's turned out to be a very Seinfeldian (new word?) Even Steven kind of list.

The GOOD:
Guess what I got in the mail this week from a one Ms. Ali on the Run?

If you guessed an I HEART SWEAT shirt, you guessed right. This shirt is proper for every occasion. Warm out? Wear it with shorts. Cool out? Wear it with arm warmers. Cold out? Wear it over an Under Armour shirt. Race day? Perfect. Training day? Also perfect. See? You can't lose.

Be glad that you can't smell this shirt, friends. I have already broken it in, and pulled it out of my laundry for this photo op.

• Friday fashion fact: I HEART SWEAT shirts work like a charm to help you negative split your run. I knew those shirts were awesome, but I never dreamed they could help me with pacing. Thank you, Ali!  

The BAD:
I issued a PSA this week after I drove into the city for a pre-work spin class. It's obviously dark at that hour, but people (like me) are still out there getting their sportz on.

Trust me when I say I'm all about sportz at all hours, but you guys, wearing all black when it's dark out is a recipe for disaster. See this guy running down the sidewalk in my neighborhood?

No? My point exactly. He's wearing all black. In the dark. #notgenius

• Friday fashion fact: Wear bright colors for sportz in the dark. Better yet: wear a LIGHT. Thank you in advance.

The Not That BAD:
I heard about Pilates in the Park this week from @washwellbeing . I easily convinced a couple of sporty chicks to join me. It was weird and wonderful. We were working our core in the middle of the rush hour chaos taking place around Farragut Square.

It was free of charge, but for some odd looks from passersby. There was one woman who walked through the park pointing and laughing at us, while she smoked a cigarette. Um, lady, you are SMOKING and we are doing sportz. 6 pack abs > lung cancer. #wewin

Scissors, anyone?

 However, the grass is itchy, and running shorts are not built for pilates.

•  Friday fashion fact: When doing pilates in the grass with strangers during rush hour, wear tights.  

The UGLY:
Whenever possible, I ride my commuter bike. I usually don't *need* to ride it, DC is quite walkable or metroable or (my personal favorite) bus-able. But, riding a bike is going to be the most fun option, and that's all I really need to say about that.

The main problem, of course, is that work clothes aren't usually condusive to biking. Still, I've ridden in the rain (and had to dry my work pants with a hair dryer before a meeting), I've ridden in a skirt (and realized that non-stretchy pencil skirts are not built for straddling bikes) and I've changed clothes in my garage to avoid the two aforementioned bikerideFAILS.

But today I came up with a truly genius way to keep my work pants out of my drivetrain:

•  Friday fashion fact: Animal print binder clips make great pants clips for bike riders wearing work clothes. Reaow! Am fashion genius!
• Related: Nikes look great with black work pants.

The GENIUS:
I had an epiphany this week while dealing with the after effects of a run and sporting some really awesome compression sleeves under my work pants. They were kind of peeking out of the bottom, and I really didn't feel like dealing with questions from my always curious co-workers. I had just ordered some new boots online and ...you see where I am going with this, right?

• Friday fashion fact: Those fashionable, fun, fall boots that we all love? They hide compression socks beautifully. You're welcome.

Hope your weekend is filled with sweaty spandex!

Confessions: I just ate a piece of popcorn off the floor

I feel like I'm under a lot of pressure to create an exciting blog post after my first "real" post got so many views. Whoa. But all I can come up with this rainy turned sunny turned happy hour Friday are some confessions. I know. We've barely met and I'm already airing my dirty laundry.

For example:

I think I just bonked at my desk. I felt so hungry I was dizzy and was feeling malnourished and stupid for being so hungry at work in the middle of the afternoon. That makes no sense. I actually went out and bought a sandwich and popcorn to rectify the situation. At 3:30 in the afternoon, I'm eating lunch again. Note to self: soup does not make a lunch. (You'll notice in the picture that the sandwich has already been consumed.)

Not in the picture? The fact that I just ate a piece of popcorn off the floor.

Also: I forgot to wear a helmet this morning when I rode my bike to the gym. The gym is only a few blocks from my office, but it's WAY faster and, ok, actually more fun to ride my bike. I didn't realize I wasn't wearing my helmet until I got there, so there was nothing I could do. I think as punishment for this crime, it was pouring rain when I went to leave. So...I rode my bike back in the pouring rain. In my work clothes. So that made me have to...

...take off my pants in the gym at my office and use a hair dryer to de-rainify them before my 9am meeting. That was fun. I'm actually very lucky that there IS a gym in my office and that there are hair dryers, because, let me tell you, I was DRENCHED. Almost as drenched as I was last night, when...

...I ran in the pouring rain, and I LIKED IT. It started off as a sprinkle, but within a half mile it was raining, and in the next few minutes it turned into a downpour. Once you're wet, you're wet, so I just kept running through puddles, dragging my friend with me (what a good sport!) One of the good things about running in the rain? You don't have to wash your hair after. Speaking of hair...

I'm considering blowing off happy hour because I'm having a bad hair day. Like, really bad. This is ridiculous, I know. But I am.

Whew. I feel better now.

Hello, my name is Karen and I'm a SportzJunkie.

I think I might have a problem. You tell me. Here are some of the symptoms.

I've been known to challenge friends to see who could amass the larger pile of sweat under a spin bike.

I think pictures in front of enormous Gatorade bottles are cool.

I get more excited for sales at TriSports.com than I do for Ann Taylor.

There are currently no less than five pair of smelly sporty shoes sitting at the front door to my house. (Under a bike.) (And two pair of animal print flats, but that's not really a problem though, is it?)

I own 5 pairs of the same long distance tri shorts because I keep wearing them out.

I have trouble keeping my belly full. I eat Lots Of Food. Constantly. (It's not always healthy.)

I own multiple bikes and I like to ride them all.

I think 5am is a reasonable time to wake up if there is something fun to do.

I sometimes go entire weeks without showering at home.

I have more plastic bike water bottles from races than I have cabinet space.

My car contains equipment for any swimming, biking, running, yoga or strength training that could occur at a moment's notice. And shower supplies, should they be required. Oh, and snax for sportz. It used to smell like a new car. Now it kind of smells like a sports car. No, I mean sportz car.

Since there is all this sporty stuff in my car, I sometimes throw in an extra workout rather than sit in rush hour traffic. Running > gridlock. #duh

I've run in the pouring rain, in the falling snow, in code red in the summer, in the mud, up hills, at sunrise, over bridges, gotten lost, and I've WALKED a MARATHON. (That is a bit of a long story.)

I know I am lucky to be able to do this stuff, and I am even luckier to have friends to do it with me. I'm going to keep it up as long as I can.

Hello, my name is Karen and I'm a SportzJunkie.

I'm not wasting a 545am wake up.

Remember that time I totally busted in the mud, but it turned out to be a good run anyway? No? Let me refresh your memory.

I'm excited that I can run again. No injuries, no rules or regulations about when or how far or how fast. It's nice. So, as unfun as it is to get out of the bed at o'dark thirty (which, by the way, why can't it be o'dark o'clock? huh? or 10 after o'dark? why?) running down the mall at sunrise usually outweighs those few minutes of slogginess at 545am...even if the sun is hidden behind a lot of clouds and the entire morning is a comedy of errors.

Yesterday, I got to work, dumped my stuff in the locker room, grabbed my hat because I thought it might rain a little and headed out. I very helpfully left my carefully packed hand held water bottle in my bag, but that's ok, I'd survive. Off I go, down 17th Street, easy warm up, this is great, but there's a dude that's just behind me and that's annoying. I decided to drop him. Done.

There's apparently a lot of construction going on down at Lincoln right now, leaving one side of the path closed off and the other side somewhat dark, at least for this dreary early morning, and crawling with runners. I deicded the dirt path alongside the paved trail sounded like the MOST fun, so I went that way. Did you notice how I mentioned it was dark? And crawling with runners?

Oh this is fun, I thought! Similar to a trail! Look at me, leaping over all these tree roots! I'm so agile! Look at all those Army guys running this morning! Look at - whooooooooooooooooooooa - the ground! It's muddy. And cold. And - geez, get up already. But first, turn off your Garmin. (No, really, I turned off my watch before I even scraped myself off the ground.)

I sat on a bench for a minute and thought I was probably going to have to go to the emergency room for a concussion for jarring my head and neck so hard until I realized, oh, actually, I'm fine. I got up and ran back to the WWII memorial, in hopes that the bathrooms were open and I could wash some of the mud off my legs and hands. They were...NOT. I cleaned up my bloody knee at a water fountain and got the dirt off of my watch (yes, I know! weird, right?) and just about then, it started to rain. Not like, a little bit of rain, but total downpour.

I could either go back where I had just come from, resulting in about a 2.5 mile run/fall/run event or I could continue on. Obviously, I continued on. I'm not wasting a 545 am wake up. Up Independence, down the mall towards the Capitol, puddle after puddle, the mud slowly washed away as I squished through mile after downpouring mile. Slowly, the rain eased up and the sun came out. And just as slowly, I made my way back to work, stopping to wring out my clothes at stoplights.

My shoes are still wet, and my ribs hurt like hell when I laugh. I've got a nasty bruise on my knee and the palms of my hands are a bit sore. But it's the farthest I've run since the Ironman, and I feel a little bit like a badass, so, yeah, it was a good run.