The Start of a New Season

Has it really been six months since my last post? Six months and 15+ pounds! I tried for most of last year to get some inspiration back for running. After the marathon I had a hard time getting into training consistently, mostly because I didn't want to train consistently, if that makes any sense. I had nothing major I wanted to accomplish, combine that with a freezing cold winter and I was pretty lazy with both my exercising and healthy eating.

One of my last posts mentioned trying to get the funk out... well I think six months later, maybe, I have done just that!! A change of the seasons helps. Both having the weather improve and the summer race season approaching, has put a spring in my step. My "runiversary" is coming up and I got inspired big time this past weekend for a couple of reasons. I'll get to that later. Now don't get the wrong idea, even though I haven't been blogging I have still been running, sporadically. I did quite a few late fall and winter races and my total race mileage for 2013 was 115. Not too shabby considering I was only 5 race miles down from 2012 and I wasn't really trying for most of the year!

Turkey Trot 2013

I decided to sign up for the Lake Effect Half Marathon again hoping that would keep me running through the winter. Well at least February, who knew winter would continue into April! I knew since I PR'd last year and had only done a long run of ten slow miles that my time wouldn't compare. I just tried to not have it be my worst time and that worked. Thanks goodness for the train wreck that was Oak Tree 2012!

Awesome spinner medal this year!

March came along and found my Dad running his first half marathon! I went back and forth on running with him, especially since I liked this race so much and finally we both came to the conclusion that I would spectate. So I went all out! I made tons of signs, drove around like a crazy person beeping and yelling, and totally teared up at the finish line. I am so proud! Can't wait to run one together. We also tried another race in Syracuse for the first time, The Shamrock Run. This was so much fun and we will be returning for sure!

One of many signs...

Before...

After!

I did set a goal at the beginning of the year to try to run 3-4 half marathons throughout the year so I would have reason to keep doing some long runs. In April, I did my first major race 3-peat by completing the Flower City Half Marathon. This was the first long distance race I did and I met some amazing people, who I still run with today, at HFM training in 2012.

Now I don't recommend my training plan, but I didn't run for the entire month leading up to the race. For one reason or another life just got in the way. I decided, after chatting with another runner, that I would go into the race with a run/walk method, and see how I felt going forward. I would run 2 miles and then walk 1. I also figured I would walk some of the major hills. When I started I felt great, I should have since my legs were very fresh! The weather was perfect and the race went so well for me. Yes I was super slow, but I found that  I didn't even need my run/walk strategy, my walk breaks were usually short and I had such a great time overall. I also saw lots of familar faces that I hadn't seen in a while and it helped me to remember why I love running and participating in races so much!

Accidental twins, me & Katie at the
Flower City Half Marathon

During the Lake Effect half Marathon I found myself running around the same pace as a girl Kaitlin. Turns out she is from Rochester too! We had a great time running and chatting and even though she smoked me at the finish line, I was secretly hoping we would run together again some day. Thank goodness for social media and my good memory, because I found Kaitlin on FB and we actually got together for a run this past Saturday. We messaged back and forth and I created a route based on where she wanted to start and how many miles she needed to do. Kaitlin had 10 miles on the schedule, she is training for her first full, I said I would join her for 5 so I found a loop. I felt like I was back to my old self planning routes and looking forward to running.

Turns out it was pretty sunny and warm Saturday morning but it was a beautiful run. There were tons of people out, it was sunny with a breeze and we had so much fun. It went by so fast and our pace matched pretty well. We made it back to our cars and I headed home and Kaitlin went back out on her own for some more miles. After I went home and got ready for the day I decided to head over to North Ponds Park in Webster to check out the Mind The Ducks 12 hour race. I could only stay for an hour or so, but I had so much fun cheering on my running friends and watching then accomplish this amazing acheievement. It got me thinking could I run for 12 hours on a 1-mile loop, I'm not sure but I think I want to find out!

This Sunday marks my "runiversary" with the Lilac Festival races. It was the first 5k race I trained for and began this whole running journey. In 2011 I ran the 5k, in 2012 I got cocky and ran both the 5k and the 10k, last year I was in Cleveland running my first full marathon and this year I plan to return to run just the 10k. I'll have a race report on Sunday or Monday.

And you thought you were done having to read my blog, I'm just getting started...again!

RUN CLE Goals and Prep

"If you want to run, run a mile. 

If you want to experience another life, run a marathon."

-Emil Zatopek

A little under 48 hours until I run my first marathon. Wow, the date I have been thinking about for 5-6 months is almost here. It's kinda funny when you think of a marathon. What I have been excited about and looking forward to, will probably be the most challenging and possibly painful experience of my life to date. It's probably what I would think pregnancy feels like, but the anticipation is even longer. Plus then you have to kinda raise the kid for the rest of your life. Hell, a marathon sounds like a walk in the park to me now that I think of it. No wonder people think marathoners/runners are insane and why many people have probably blocked me on their Facebook news feed. I have been so excited this week and am hoping the runner's high sticks with me for the 5-6 hours it will take me to complete the race. I've read many things that say don't worry about time for your first marathon. It's a guaranteed PR (personal record)! Well that's nice and all, but I think most runners are a little competitive and so I've set some goals for myself. Don't laugh too hard at my turtle pace, after all, how many miles will you be running on Sunday? Don't answer that if you are running 26.2 or more ;)

Lots of training miles under my belt. 

A Goal: FINISH!
My major goal is to just finish. I just want to keep telling myself to put one foot in front of the other and go get em'. I've been picturing that finish line for a while and imagining what the relief will feel like when it's all done. In my spin class we always finish with a 90 second "mile" at the end of each class. There is this awesome celtic song she plays and prior to us starting she always tells us to imagine a finish line and the people there waiting to cheer us on. Every single time I have pictured Cleveland, even though I really don't know what the finish area looks like, haha. The last spin class I took I actually got a little teary eyed (thank goodness it's dark). Deep down I want everything to go smoothly and I just want to get to that finish line. But of course I have a time goal too.

B Goal: Sub 6 hours

Part of the reason I picked to run Cleveland is that I heard it was flat and fast. It also has an 8 hour course time, so I thought if the "you know what" hits the fan, I wont get kicked off the course. I would really like to finish under 6 hours. I know it is possible, but it will depend on a lot of factors and I don't want to have this be my only goal and get upset if I don't achieve it. I'm hesitant because all of my long runs were done in much cooler temperatures, but it would be great if there is a 5 in front of my number when I'm laying on Ohio ground, with a medal around my neck, most likely balling my eyes out. My plan is to tape a pace chart to my water bottle in my fuel belt. Then I have it on me if my time seems close and I can refer to it if all is going well.

Looking toasty. 

If you're not doing anything on Sunday you are welcome to track my progress. If we are FB friends I have it set to show up in my news feed, hopefully it works. If not, then you can go to this link and create a user name/password, search for me (Last name: Keiser) and you can have it emailed, text, or posted to your FB or Twitter pages.

A lovely "good luck" gift from my coworker. 

I cannot thank you all enough for the well wishes and support I have received throughout this entire process. I started the blog as a journal and a place for me to vent when the going got tough. It was challenging but that is exactly what I signed up for. I hope to capture the weekend with lots of photos and videos so I am sure there will be a series of race recaps. Stay tuned and hopefully I'll be wearing this and my medal Sunday afternoon...