thank you, cleveland marathon

Now that I’ve crossed the finish line of the 37th annual Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, my time as an official blogger has come to an end, and it makes me a little sad. This has truly been a great experience, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to share my stories with you.

This has been a five month project, and I have learned a lot of things over that time. I would like to share some with you.

1. This was SO much more than just blogging about training and running. This opportunity gave me a chance to inspire others, and for that I am very grateful. When I completed my official blogger application, I said that my hope was to encourage people, especially other moms, to run or become more physically active, and based on the feedback that I have received from family, friends, and even people I have never met but who have read my blog, I’ve succeeded. Thank you for that.

2. The running community is an amazing one. I already knew this, but being an official blogger solidified it. I had  the chance to meet other runners who I may not have met otherwise and made a ton of connections on Twitter and WordPress. Also, by reading the other bloggers’ posts and being able to meet some of them at the meet-up, VIP reception, and/or races, I feel as though I expanded my circle of people who support and encourage me. They cheered with me on my accomplishments and helped pick me up when I stumbled. I hope they feel that I did the same for them, also.

3. The Cleveland Marathon truly cares for its official bloggers. All you have to do is talk with Bethany, our main contact for this project, and she can tell you everyone’s name, their spouse’s/girlfriend’s/boyfriend’s/fiance’s name, and what is going on with their lives based on their blog entries. She reads all of them and, more than just that, she cares about all of us and what’s happening. The entire staff has also been wonderful by providing us bloggers with goodies along the way – complimentary race entry; a meet-up at Bar Louie in Cleveland; official blogger shirts; VIP reception invites; and VIP race day packet with parking pass, brunch tickets, and bleacher seating. I hope they know how much I appreciated all of this.

Thanks again, Cleveland Marathon! You are fabulous!

my 2013 cleveland experience

After many months of training and anticipation, I was able to complete the 37th annual Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon today. Each person on the race course has their own “Cleveland Experience”, and I am thankful  to share mine with you.

My prep for the big day started last night. I made sure my clothes were set, race bag packed, and breakfast planned. The goal was to be as ready as possible to alleviate any stress in the morning. I took some Advil PM to help my muscles and allow me to sleep (I was VERY anxious) and was in bed before 10:00pm.

part of racing well is looking fabulous

I will be the first to tell you that I don’t like to get up early, but I woke up without my alarm at 3:30am. I didn’t feel the least bit tired, despite only getting about 5.5 hours of sleep, and jumped out of bed to get ready. I know some people like races because they figure they don’t have to do their hair and make-up; I am not one of those people. I like to look halfway decent because they are always taking pictures. After getting ready, I had my go-to breakfast of toast with chocolate peanut butter and bananas and water. By 4:50, Raymond, his sister Suzanne, and I were out the door. If you remember, Raymond was going to run the half marathon, but injury prevented him from running. Luckily, he was able to transfer his entry to his sister when we were at the Expo on Friday. He was going to be our cheerleader today.

We made it to Cleveland by 5:30am and, because of the generosity of the Cleveland Marathon, were able to park in the VIP lot directly across from Cleveland Browns Stadium! In the four years that I have been running Cleveland Marathon events, I have never parked this close to the starting line. It was pretty awesome! Something even more awesome – we were able to walk right into the bathroom without having to wait in a ridiculously long line! It wasn’t long after arriving that we saw Jessica, Ryan, Beal and his sister, and John and posed for a few pics.

At about 6:30 we made our way back to where I would be starting but not before snapping a pic with Kevin, aka Slim Goodbody. Can you believe he wears this to run?! Truly original, and you know it will be a good race day when you see him in this costume.

seriously awesome

My plan was to start at the 10:00 minute per mile pace flag. I didn’t really think it would be possible to sustain this pace for the entire race, but last year I started too far back and had to weave around a lot of slower runners for the first two miles (no offense; I’m a slow runner, too). I wanted to get off to a better start this year and get my pace set. I had hoped to meet up with my friend Susie, who was running her first half, but it was so hard to find someone in the sea of bodies. I was happy, however, to see Stephanie and also my friend Carrie, who is my BFF Lynne’s sister-in-law (Carrie, thanks for snapping pics and sharing them with Lynne).

steph squared

I had to make a last-minute bathroom break, and before I knew it, we were off. It took about 7 minutes or so to go across the starting line. When I did, I took a deep breath and said to myself, “Here we go!” I didn’t turn my music on for the start of the race. I like to take in the experience of the crowd cheering and the music playing. I was running along, excited for the race, and I hear my watch make a loud beep. I look down, and the first thing that flew out of my mouth was the f-bomb. I must have lost satellites when I went in the stadium to use the bathroom, and it didn’t connect back up. I started the watch up again as quickly as I could and check it when we hit 1 mile. The watch said .5 miles. This really irked me, and I was very upset at myself for not checking the watch again before I started the race. It was a stupid mistake and one that I will learn from. Instead of freaking out, I tried to move past this and focus on running. Unfortunately, that was hard to do with one headphone crackling in and out. Really?! A watch issue (operator error, of course) and now this? I had to calm myself down at this point because I was already very agitated and only at mile 2. I still had a long way to go on the journey to 26.2.

After I simmered down, the race went well. My pace was what I was hoping for (a little over 10:00 minutes per mile), my legs felt great and rested, and breathing was good. I also saw the funniest sign of my race day, and it said “If this were easy, it would be your mom!” I had to chuckle at that as I passed. The miles clicked by effortlessly, and I was already in the Tremont/Ohio City area. That’s where Raymond was waiting to snaps some pics. Along this same stretch I also saw our friend Mario, who was watching the race, and Sheila, the wife of Joe who was one of the official bloggers. I made it a point to yell at them and say hi. Seeing all of them really lifted my spirits.

everyone around me looks tired, but i’m smiling for the camera

On the way back into downtown on the Carnegie Bridge, it started to get pretty warm, and racers were feeling the effects. I saw a lot of people starting to walk, and one lady was on the side of the road with EMS taking care of her. Seeing that brought back memories of last year when it was so hot, and people were dropping like flies. Thankfully, I was still feeling great, but I knew I needed to make a bathroom stop. This was something I was dreading from the beginning.

Soon after, it was time for the half marathoners to finish. When everyone split off, there were very few that kept the right to start the second half of the race, but it was nice to have people cheering us on. I gave myself a little pep talk when I hit mile 13 because the second half of the race was so hard for me last year. I didn’t want a repeat. Unfortunately, I had to stop running because I needed to use the bathroom ASAP. Other runners had the same idea because there was a pretty long line. At this point I got a little teary because I knew stopping meant I had little chance for a PR, but to continue running would have been impossible. I also saw the red flag at the halfway mark, which meant runners should slow down due to heat. That’s when I knew it was gonna be a hot one.

I continued running when I got out of the bathroom, but stopping has a way of killing my momentum. My pace got slower, the sun got hotter, but I was still able to run. I could feel my muscles starting to get tighter and tighter, and then around mile 18 (about the 30K point), I had to walk. The muscles above my knee and around my shins cramped so badly that I had no choice. I was devastated, but I tried not to let it break me. I was still making pretty good time (overall pace was about 10:30 per mile), considering the circumstances. But then I needed another bathroom stop when we were on Martin Luther King Drive about mile 20. We were not close to an official race stop, but, as luck would have it, there were a port-o-potty just a little off the road. Never before I started racing would I have been so happy to see a port-o-potty.

After mile 20 I felt like I was failing, and I was thankful that Raymond didn’t make a trip to that part of the race course. I didn’t want him to see me alternating between walking, running, and stretching to relieve muscle cramping. I think I would have just cried at that point for him to see me struggling. All of the other runners around me were having similar issues, and people kept encouraging one another along the way. It was no longer a race against the clock; it was a race against ourselves.

I was so excited when I got to mile 23 – only 3 more left! I got a little bit of a second wind in the fact my muscles weren’t cramping as badly, and it was exciting to see the downtown skyline in the distance. Then came mile 24. I told myself that I didn’t want to walk unless it was through a water stop, but shortly after saying that, I got a huge cramp in my calf that made me completely stop. I stretched and rubbed the muscle while other runners were asking if I was okay. Thankfully, it went away fairly quickly, and I pressed on, knowing only about 1.5 miles stood between me and the finish line.

Hitting mile 25 was a rush! I knew that I had enough energy left to run this one completely. As we made our way closer, the number of people cheering got larger and larger until the streets were lined with spectators. I turned off my music when I saw this to take in the finish. We rounded the corner, and it was a nice downhill stretch on East 9th (I was so thankful for downhill!) Only one more turn, and I was going to cross the finish as a 4-time marathoner! As I finished the last .2 miles, I could hear cheers from the stands. Another great perk of being an official blogger was receiving VIP bleacher seating passes, so Raymond and Suzanne were there cheering me on (they also took advantage of the delicious VIP breakfast after she completed her half). Finally, after 4 hours and 49 minutes (chip time), I crossed the finish line, and I felt great!

this girl and i are happy to finish

waving to my adoring public (aka raymond and suzanne)

I quickly collected my medal, posed for a pic from the photographer, and zipped over to the food tables. I was SO happy that they still had chocolate milk left. Last year, all I wanted was a bottle of chocolate milk, and they were out by the time I finished. Not this year!

yes, i was this excited for chocolate milk

After that, I made my way out of the runners’ finishing area to meet up with Raymond and Suzanne. We walked around a little and then sat for a bit before moving into the beer tent. Cleveland Marathon gives all runners a complimentary drink ticket, and this was the first year I took advantage of the free beer.

what? no shandy?!

We walked up to the stadium to leave but not before spotting our friend Christian at the Run for Autism tent. Christian revived his Richard Simmons look for this year. I was happy to see the medal around his neck because I know he was pretty convinced that he wouldn’t be able to finish the race due to injury which prevented him from training as planned. He mentioned that he ran with Jess and paced her, which was awesome because it was her first marathon.

raym, richard simmons, and me

Of course before leaving Suzanne and I had to pose for a quick pic in the stadium with our medals, and I needed a pic with one of my favorite supporters.

finishers!

And speaking of Jess, I got to see her in the parking lot before we were leaving. She said that if it weren’t for Christian, she wouldn’t have been able to finish the race. It’s always nice to have running friends to help you along. We posed for a quick pic, in our Sparkly Soul headbands no less, and then left for a delicious lunch at Angelo’s in Lakewood (best pizza ever).

As I sit here writing this recap and going over the details of my day, I have to say that although I didn’t PR and had to walk a little, I am still very pleased with the way the race went for me. If you take out the two bathroom stops, which accounted for about 6 minutes of my total time, I was only slower than my Columbus Marathon time by about 5 minutes, and in Columbus I had no bathroom stops and perfect weather conditions. That’s not too shabby. I am also happy because I did better than last year’s Cleveland Marathon. I don’t walk away from this feeling like I need redemption for my poor performance. I did the best I could do under the circumstances (heat, bathroom issues, muscle cramping), and I am happy with that. Do I want to run another marathon? HELL YES! I am still eyeing a new PR. Today just wasn’t my day, but I finished, and that in itself is an accomplishment. And, most of all, I had fun!

Congrats to all of the Cleveland marathon, half marathon, and 10K runners and walkers. We just proved again that we run this city!

And…just one more thing. I love this.

 

 

so begins marathon weekend

Yesterday kicked off my Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon weekend, and what better way to do that than by taking a half day off of work to enjoy the Expo and attending the VIP reception!

Raymond and I worked until noon and then grabbed lunch at Chipotle. You have heard me say before that Chipotle is my favorite pre-race/long run meal, and I always eat it two days before. After that, we started driving to the Expo but had to make an impromptu stop at CLE Clothing Co. I was checking Facebook and saw that they posted something about new marathon and half marathon shirts. I NEEDED one of these! I also picked up a new sticker to go on the back of my van (it makes it look cooler, right?).

new marathon gear!

After Cleveland Clothing Co., we headed to the Health and Fitness Expo at the I-X Center. Last year we went on Saturday, and it was packed. The official merchandise was also picked over, so this year, we wanted to get there early. This was a good move because we were able to park in the first row!

If only we were as lucky with marathon merchandise. The shirts I wanted were already sold out except a handful of XL and XXL. This was the only disappointing thing about the Expo, though; everything else was great. We did a little shopping, enjoyed walking around, and got our picture taken at the Volkswagen tent.

why we run

close-up of my sign on the board

 The fun didn’t stop there. We were also invited to attend the Cleveland Marathon VIP reception at the Hyatt Regency Cleveland. We were treated to delicious food and drinks and had a chance to see many of the other bloggers again, as well as important people such as the race director. Thank you, Cleveland Marathon, for the invitation! It was a great evening.

cleveland marathon official bloggers (we’re still missing a few)

Now, let’s run CLE!

last minute tips

My freak out over running the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon has officially begun! Having already run three marathons you would think it wouldn’t be as bad, but I think this is the worst it has been. I contribute this to being a blogger, which I LOVE, but it adds extra pressure to do well. I know that I need to write that race recap when I’m done, and I want it filled with words about a great race, not a poor one.

Anyway, I wanted to pull myself together to write a post about last minute tips. This will help me feel better prepared for Sunday’s adventure and remind me to do everything that I’m listing below.

Tip #1 – Hydrate like a mad man/woman! Have you been checking the weather lately? It’s gonna be a hot one in CLE, so make sure you’re preparing for that. I have been drinking my water like a champ (although I hate water) because I am trying to avoid issues that I had last year due to not drinking enough. Carry a bottle with you during the day and drink up!

Tip #2 – Wear sunscreen! It will be painful enough following your race. Don’t add insult to injury by frying your skin. I know that my pasty body hasn’t really seen the sun so it is going to be in shock on Sunday, but at least it will be slathered in SPF 50. My apologies in advance if I blind you with my paleness.

Tip #3 – Bring a change of clothes. I hate being all sweaty and wet after a race. They offer gear check, and I suggest you take advantage of this to have some dry clothes to change into, unless you get prime parking and can make it back to your car easily. Bring absolutely everything – shorts, shirt, socks, underwear. You will just feel better.

Tip #4 – ENJOY THE DAY! This is something I personally have lost focus of but need to keep in the front of my mind. Like many of you, I have trained for months to prepare for this one race, and that was stressful. It’s time to put all of that hard work to use and shine.

Good luck and best wishes to all CLE marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, and Kids’ Run runners, and thanks in advance to all of the family and friends who have supported us on this journey. See you at the finish line!

adding fuel to the fire

We all know that training will only take you so far during a marathon. A runner must be mentally and physically prepared for the challenge of 26.2 miles, and the right mindset can make or break a run. I have been thinking a lot about my brain fuel for Sunday’s Cleveland Marathon – what I will use to carry me through when things get tough or when I just need a little boost. I have a combination of things that will be on my mind during the race.

Let’s start with the positives. My kiddles. I use them for inspiration on every long run, and I always carry something that makes me think of them. For my first two marathons I wore a shirt that they decorated (with help from my mom), and my third marathon, I had a good lucky charm on my shoe. This year, I will be wearing a hair bow that they made for me…gotta look good, right? 

my very first marathon shirt – honolulu marathon 2011

Miles 2, 3, 4, and 5 are always dedicated to them (miles 1 and 25 are mine). When I am running, I think about each of them separately and what makes them special and unique. I try to remember funny things that they have said or done over the years and experiences that we’ve had. I also think about what it felt like to be in labor with them, because I know if I made it through natural labor three time, including a set of twins, I can finish this damn marathon. 

my absolutely fabulous kiddles

Another group of people that I always think of are “my fam” (Mom, Dad, Stevie, Tracy, Sarah, Rhett, Sophia, Susannah, Savannah, Mackenzie, and Raymond…he is included, too). This number has grown over the past few years, and I am happy to run a mile for each of them. They are always there for me and have supported my running endeavors.

My grandparents are a special group, and I dedicate a mile to each of them. I am fortunate enough to still have my Grandma and Grandpa Lesco, and they are one of the cutest couples I know. I just love when Grandpa refers to Grandma as his “beautiful bride” after more than 60 years together. Not too many people get to experience that much together. My Grandma and Grandpa Gielink are living happily in heaven, but they are always on my mind during a race. I miss them both terribly, but I know they are watching over me. My hardest miles (usually 22-24) are dedicated to them.

Negatives will help fuel my race, too. On Sunday, I will be thinking of those that I refer to as snakes.

They are the insidious people who slither through society, poisoning it just by existing. You know these people in your own lives. The ones who feel better about themselves by bringing down others. The ones whose egos are so big they can’t fit through the door. The ones who never quite graduated from middle school antics although they are well into adulthood or are at least old enough to be considered adults. The ones who are quick to point out others’ faults without acknowledging their own shortcomings. Why will I be thinking of them on Sunday? Because with every step I take forward, I will envision myself crushing them. Their hate makes me stronger.

What will you use as brain fuel for Sunday or another big race? 

nothing new for race day

I can’t believe we are in single digits in the countdown to the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon! Back in December when I was picked as an official blogger, the race seemed so far away, but now we will be running it in about a week. Crazy how time flies.

I am sure you have been reading the other official bloggers‘ pages and getting tips and tricks from them (and if you aren’t reading their pages, you should check them out now). I wanted to share one huge piece of advice for race day, and in my opinion, it is the most important one – DON’T TRY ANYTHING NEW! It’s as simple as that. No new clothes, no new shoes, no new hydration or nutrition strategies, nothing. Why? Because you don’t want to take any chances on race day and want to run your best race possible.

Last year I was not very smart and didn’t even follow my own advice. I had heard a lot about compression socks and how wonderful they were for running. I jumped on the bandwagon and purchased a pair. I wore them a little around the house and on a short run but never on a long run. Figuring I would be just fine on race day, I put the socks on. From the time the gun went off, I just didn’t feel quite right running in them. By the end of the race, I HATED them, vowing never to race in the damn things again. I was so mad at myself for not trying them out first and kept cursing the socks (and my stupidity) along the way. From that race on I said I would never try anything new. (Note: Even though I am a compression hater for a run, I am a firm believer that they are magical for recovery. I like nothing more than taking a hot bath and putting on my socks after a long run. Just my two cents.)

So, this brings me to the upcoming Cleveland Marathon and my strategy for the day. As far as attire goes, I am wearing all items that I know are comfortable, don’t rub weird on my skin, and will be weather appropriate because I have been wearing them all along during training. Don’t just think of the main items (shirt, shorts, shoes); make sure you are wearing socks, a sports bra, underwear, mp3 player, watch, and even a headband that you have tried numerous times before and under similar conditions. For hydration, I’ll wear a belt with two 10 ounce bottles that I fill with only water, but I will alternate between water and Gatorade at the aid stations. This works best for me. For nutrition, I will have either a GU gel (peanut butter, chocolate, or vanilla) or watermelon GU Chomps every 4 miles for optimum energy. Even if I don’t feel particularly hungry or like I need an energy boost, I will take the food because I know my body will need it and is used to that cycle during long runs.

By sticking with familiar clothing, hydration, and nutrition, I am hoping to minimize the unaccounted variables that could lead to problems during the race. My hope is to set a new PR (fingers crossed, please), and I am going to try my hardest, knowing I will race my best when I am prepared.

spring up ohio!

Not to sound weird, but I am all for a good charity. I love to donate because it helps others and makes me feel good that I can make a difference. Additionally, I have a serious soft spot when it comes to donating to charities that benefit children. I am so fortunate that I have four very healthy children, but I know that so many other families are not as lucky as me. If you’re thinking you’d like to help too, you should check out Spring Up Ohio!

Spring Up Ohio is a fundraiser created by the Willoughby-Cleveland Elks Lodge #18 to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and United Cerebral Palsy. The event features a four-person charity golf scramble at Lost Nation Golf Course in Willoughby on Saturday, May 11 and charity raffles. If you like to golf, grab three of your friends and join. There are still 9 remaining slots, and it’s only $75 per golfer. Register here: http://springupohio.com/golf.php

Golf not really your thing? Mine either. The closest I have come to golfing has been driving a golf cart and the occasional putt-putt game (which I detest). You can still donate to this cause by purchasing tickets for the two charity raffles. There is a 60/40 cash raffle to benefit St. Jude, and an Apples for Cerebral Palsy raffle where there will be 1 iPad given away for every 300 tickets sold. Tickets are $10 and $5, respectively. I just purchased mine today!

Please take a minute to visit their website and consider making a donation or registering a team. Any support you can give is greatly appreciated.

Also, check out Spring Up Ohio on Facebook and Twitter.