Philly Marathon

Philly Half Marathon Recap

December 1, 2014 by Kristy 7 Comments

Last Sunday I ran the Philly Half Marathon, just like I do every year. I love Philly Marathon weekend. Yes, I’m biased but Philly does a damn good job of putting on a spectacular race. And the spectators aren’t half bad either! If you’re looking for a Fall half or full, seriously consider Philly (I ran the full in 2008 so I can attest to its greatness too). Flat, fun, and you can high-five Mayor Nutter at the finish line.

my collection of Philly race Ts, 2007 to 2014 (missing 2011 – donated because of size)

I spectated the 8K on Saturday and watched my 2 friends run their first 8K. They worked their asses off for months and were smiling the whole time.

8K finish line

so proud

Sunday was perfect race day weather and my goal was to run a solid effort (my standard goal for 2014). I need to add that if a solid effort didn’t include a 1:4x finish time, I’d be pissed. I saw Megan in my corral and chatted with her until the race started.

My loose race plan was to keep the first mile at 8:40, drop to 8:20, and then drop to (hopefully) 8:00. I’ve done speed work since the Philly RnR so I had some idea of what I was capable of.

Splits –
M1 – 8:13
M2 – 8:05
M3 – 8:04
M4 – 8:18
M5 – 8:15
M6 – 8:24
M7 – 7:41 (not sure about the accuracy of this one)
M8 – 8:23 (hill)
M9 – 8:21
M10 – 8:49 (hill)
M11 – 8:04
M12 – 8:08
M13 – 8:25

Finish – 1:49:01 (8:18 average pace)

The positives? I’m happy with my pacing. I had a loose plan to follow but, for the most part, I didn’t really pay attention to my watch. I wanted to hone in on HM effort and I think I did that pretty well. And miles 11 and 12 were strong (it helped that I went downhill after mile 10 – full disclosure there!).

The negatives? I can’t stop thinking that my now HM pace (8:18) was once my goal MP. Sigh.

I’m almost 11 months postpartum and I *should* be faster by now. It’s definitely not from lack of trying. I trained smart this year. It’s frustrating to not see more progress.

I’m sick of whining about 2014 and postpartum blah, blah, blah. Fiona will be 1 on January 9th (yikes!) and the “I just had a baby” excuse is no longer in play.

So I started something new (for me) yesterday. But that’s for another post… 🙂

Rothman 8K Race Recap

November 19, 2013 by Kristy 10 Comments

On Saturday I ran the Rothman 8K, the first race to kick-off Philly Marathon weekend. It seems silly to write a race recap, since I’m not racing these days, but what the hell.

I have never done the Rothman 8K before but you can call it the “other” race. I swear there were more porta potties than runners – which made me insanely happy (no lines!). There were a few spectators but nothing compared to the crowds you see at the Philly Half or Marathon. Not that I didn’t expect this…it’s just…different.

The best part of the morning was running into my friend Sara, completely unexpectedly. She was supposed to run the HM on Sunday but was sick so she made a last minute decision to run the 8K. Sara was my running buddy for the last 3 miles of the Philly RnR back in September so I was pretty excited about running with her again and not being alone. We decided to take it easy since Sara was essentially running with 1 functioning lung and, well, I’m carrying an 25 extra pounds. Sometimes I’m pretty delusional – like I had any other option other than taking it easy!

and…i look ridiculous. sara doesn’t but she’s hidden here in blue.

The course had an out-and-back section on West River Drive so we got to see all the speedsters and the look of pure anguish on their faces. I can’t even tell you how happy I am to not be racing right now. Running races for fun really is fun! I’m going to have quite the wake-up call next year.

high-fiving mayor nutter at the finish

Official finish time – 52:20 (10:30 average pace). I’m happy with that!

Thanks Sara for being my running buddy again!

When I got home Matt asked me if I was done with races until after the baby is born. Of course not! I found a 5K on Thanksgiving called the Gobble Wobble. With a name like that (and being almost 9 months pregnant at that time) how could you not run it?!?!

Did you run any of the Philly races this past weekend?

Pregnancy Confessions – Part II

October 29, 2013 by Kristy 7 Comments

Running Update
At 31 weeks running is hard and not hard at the same time…which probably makes no sense. It’s hard when my shins tense up and can’t handle the weight of my growing stomach. It’s not hard in the sense that all I need to do is propel myself forward – set the wheels in motion – and then I’m good to go. I swear the weight of my belly pushes me forward. So the added 20+ pounds is both helpful and a hindrance at this point.

I can no longer run 5 days per week. My legs can’t take it. Running 4 days is manageable and I usually pair a “longer” run (6 or 8 miles) with a shorter run (4 miles) the next day. Then I add in a day of walking – 3 to 4 miles – and it brings me to about 25 miles for the week. I’ll take it.

I have one more “race” on my schedule before the baby arrives. I’m running the Rothman 8K – part of Philly Marathon weekend. I was originally planning on running the Philly Half but then reality set in. I will be spectating the full and half so if you’re running, let me know!

Glowing? Not me.
Our gut feeling all along is that we are having a girl. In fact, I’ll be quite surprised if she is really a he! I haven’t paid much attention to the old wives’ tales regarding gender prediction…until recently. Around 28 weeks I started looking haggard. Like really haggard. Puffy face and bags under my eyes – despite 9 to 10 hours of sleep (I’ve been sleeping great – knock on wood). I don’t feel haggard but I just look awful. Don’t they say that girls steal your beauty? Case in point…

7:30PM at Pearl Jam last week. I wasn’t tired (yet – they did play for 3 hours) but I look…haggard.

This past Saturday – post 8 mile run. Isn’t running supposed to leave you looking refreshed?!

Another sign pointing to a girl? I’m the very definition of carrying high. This picture makes me laugh because it’s so ridiculous.

Other perks
*Cankles – the reward for sitting on my ass all day at work. The more I am on my feet, the better off I am.

*Picking something up off the floor is impossible without loudly grunting and feeling as if my head might explode.

*I have maybe 2 inches to go before my belly rests on my legs (a perk of carrying high?). My friend Sara warned me about this. I’m still freaked out that my boobs rest on my belly. Now belly on legs?!

What other perks can I look forward to over the next 9 weeks?

the best race photo

January 8, 2013 by Kristy 14 Comments

Matt sent this to me yesterday. It’s hysterical.

That’s our wonderful Mayor Nutter (black jacket) high-fiving all the finishers of the Philly Marathon. One guy was a little too excited to high-five the mayor. Poor girl.

(via)

Friday Favorites

April 29, 2011 by Kristy 10 Comments

4/29/11

3 miles easy

28:38

9:32 avg pace

All I have to do now is run the marathon!

We leave for the shore tomorrow morning, stopping at my parents to drop Hawk off. My parents live about an hour south of where the race is taking place and we initially were going to sleep there and drive up on Sunday morning. After reading reviews on marathonguide.com about the not-so-reliable shuttle buses, we decided to get a hotel to be closer to the start. Otherwise, we’d have to get up around 3am. Eeek, that is just too early!

Friday Favorites time! And you probably guessed this already but it has to do with marathons!

Best Crowd Support – NYC Marathon
I’m sure Boston has similar crowd support but NYC is amazing! I felt like a rock star! There was never a point when someone wasn’t cheering for you. I got a brief glimpse of what it must feel like to be celebrity 😉

Most Efficient Expo – Marine Corps Marathon
I’m not a big fan of expos. I like to get in and get out. The Marines pull off a great, efficient expo…especially for such a huge race.

Most Scenic – Marine Corps Marathon
I must say I’m somewhat biased. I lived in DC for 3 years and fell in love with running there. It’s like a perfect (running) tour of the city.

Best Race Shirt – Philly Marathon
Another great race (again, biased…it’s my hometown) but the best part is the race shirt. A long-sleeved, DRI-fit tee that actually fits! Meaning I don’t give it to Matt to wear. They even have XS. Score!

Best Pre-Race Amenities – Steamtown Marathon
I walked out of my hotel room and boarded a bus to the start. We started outside of a middle school so we got to wait inside and remain warm. Bottles of water were handed out and the school cafeteria was even selling food! It was the most relaxed and calm I have ever been before a race. I literally didn’t have to think about anything.

The NJ Marathon does not have runner tracking. I promise to tweet, FB, etc. when I’m done. THANK YOU for the wonderful comments this past week. They mean so much to me. I will be thinking about all of them on Sunday. Go big or go home!