Race Report - Run to Remember Half Marathon, May 27

I had not planned to register for the Run to Remember but I was scheduled to run 12 miles this week and figured it might be fun to run a course with water stops, traffic control and a little crowd support – not to mention another medal to add to the collection.  I also really liked that the race started so early allowing me to enjoy the rest of the nice day.  

My training is going well and I was definitely prepared for the distance but I still wanted to set a conservative pace goal that I thought would be a nice balance of challenging and safe so I wouldn’t get injured.  A half marathon is my favorite distance to race because you can be very strategic about the plan.  In a 5k you have to throw in everything you’ve right away because it is so short.  In a marathon you can attempt a race plan but in 26.2 miles there is a lot of space for something to go wrong and its not unusual to have your body fail you somewhere along the way no matter how well you prepared – one of my favorite running friends, Chrissy Horan, could write a book on this phenomenon.  In a half marathon, there is plenty of room to be strategic but its short enough to push yourself. 

My race plan was what I like to call a ‘3-7-3’ model.  The first 3 miles are nice relaxed to warm up and let the crowd thin out, the mid-7 I would stay consistent in my goal pace, and the last 3 I would try to  step on the gas and race my way to the finish.  I wanted to average around 8:30 minute miles, it’s a conservative pace for the flat course but it was important to me that I was comfortable through the race and didn’t put myself in danger of getting injured. 

Over 5400 runners participated in this race and, like most road races, the first couple of miles were very crowded and congested and I did not want to waste my energy weaving through the crowd.  I just ran with the group without concern about my pace – I averaged an 8:56 my first mile but knew there was plenty of time to turn up the speed.  The water stops were crowded so I slowed down to a jog for a few moments to actually drink the water (opposed to throwing it in my face and up my nose) and then returned to my pace.  By mile 2, I was averaging just under 8:30’s and feeling great.  I was tempted to speed up but stayed committed to the plan.  As scheduled, the next 7 miles I stayed on the same pace and enjoyed the crowd support and gorgeous weather.  It’s such a treat to get to run through Boston on a Sunday morning and stay on the pavement without worrying about traffic.  I had also created a new playlist on my iPod, which was fun to enjoy (I love you Pitbull). 

At mile 6.5 I inhaled an insect.  It happens all the time and it never gets less gross but it reminded me that I needed to take in some calories.  Around mile 7 I took a Gu to make sure I was able to hold on to my energy.  My stomach does not care for Gu or similar race nutrition sources but its necessary, especially in longer races.  It’s impossible for me to take in enough calories before a race  - but that’s another blog post.  I made sure to drink plenty of water and brought my focus back to the plan, which seemed to do the trick.   The next few miles flew by and then it was time to move into the third and final segment of the plan. 

I started to focus more on speed starting at mile 10.  I would find another runner a bit ahead of me and catch up to them, one at a time.  I stopped thinking about the ‘safe plan’ and just headed to the finish.  My last two miles were under 8:00 and I still felt great.  I crossed the finish line at 1:50:19 averaging 8:25 – perfect!  I placed 1082 over all and 113/ 1101 in my age group.  The competitor in me can't help but recognize that I definitely could have run that race faster but I’m very proud of myself for sticking to the plan and executing it as well as I did.  There are several races in the near future where I will have an opportunity to kick up the pace.  The Fairfield Half Marathon is next on the calendar at the end of June.  It’s a significantly more challenging course so I will add some more hills to my long runs in the next few weeks and likely set the bar a little higher for that race. 

I found my friend Stacey, who did the 5 miler, soon after getting through the finish line and she had a great race as well.  Stacey is new to racing and has definitely caught 'the bug'.  Its fun to see her get excited about each new accomplishment.  We decided to celebrate our races with brunch outside to enjoy the beautiful day.  Joe’s on the Waterfront is great for people watching and we both enjoyed seeing all of the runners proudly wearing their medals walk by.  We smiled at them all, silently saying ‘us too!’ 

My body feels pretty good today since I was so conservative with my run, although my legs felt tight and my shoulders are sore from the extra sun I got along the course (oops!).  Thankfully, it’s a holiday so I am able to relax most of the day and take a yoga class.   It’s a gift that Rebecca Pacheco (aka Om Gal) was teaching at my favorite studio, Inner Strength, this morning.  90 minutes on the mat with Rebecca is the cure for anything: sore legs, headache, stressful day, bad mood etc…  Again, that’s a totally different post but the class was perfect and I left feeling refreshed and like my muscles got the stretch they needed. 

Beyond my performance, I’m proud for participating in the race because it is the Run to Remember.   Memorial Day isn’t just a 3 day weekend and the unofficial start to the summer season.  Its an opportunity to remember and be thankful for all the men and women who gave their lives on behalf of our country.  This race honors the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Officers killed in the line of duty and celebrates their lives by giving back to the community.  All of the net proceeds from this race benefit community and children’s programs of the Boston Police Runner’s Club.

Happy Memorial Day everyone!

Stacey and I smile with our new bling!

As always, please consider contributing to my fundraising campaign for the NYC Marathon.  All funds will benefit the American Liver Foundation Greater NY Chapter. Please visit my fundraising page to make a donation:  http://go.liverfoundation.org/goto/LauraNYC

Race Report – Reach the Beach MA; May 18/19

Chasing Tail at Mt Wachusett

One of my favorite weekends each year is the Reach the Beach Relay in New Hampshire.  My team, Chasing Tail, won a free entry to the new Massachusetts relay in the scavenger hunt contest last fall so we decided to take advantage of the free ride and put the team together for the spring edition.  We had four new runners to the team, and two had never run in a relay before.  It was exciting to have a mix of team vets and some new recruits. 

Chasing Tail has built a reputation at RTB for having great team spirit and a unique sense of humor.  We always have music blaring from the vans (with the exception of quiet hours) and each runner wears a clip-on tail when they are running or not running if they wish.  This year, it seemed everywhere we went teams were dancing to the same song.  An adorable pop song by Carly Rae Jepson called Call Me Maybe made famous by the Harvard Baseball Team Viral video.  You could not escape this song over the weekend…not that you would want to. 

The Tails arrived at Mt Wachusett on Friday morning and the weather was beautiful.  Our first runner, Bob, took off up the mountain at 11:20 and Chasing Tail was ready to run!  My Van 2 teammates and I went to find some lunch and we were 'lucky' enough to stumble upon Lucky's Cafe in Worcester were we got some stares for wearing tails but enjoyed some delicious sandwiches.  Thanks Ian!  After lunch it was time to prepare for our legs later that afternoon.  

As runner #7, I had the honor of kicking off our set around 4:00 Friday afternoon.  It was the most difficult of my three legs but I was so pumped up to get started I bolted out of the TA (Transition Area) and had a great first mile…and then the climb began.  I began to slow down but knew the leg was just under 4 miles so I felt okay about pushing myself a bit.  I grabbed some water from the team about half way through and powered up another hill.  Finally the course evened out and was able to get some speed back.  I averaged an 8:35 and was psyched to have my first leg under my belt.  We were off to a good start and excited for Stacey (our team rookie) to head out for her very first relay leg.  There was some drama with her headphones getting caught in her hair (‘rip em out, it’s just hair!’) but otherwise, she did awesome!  Kristina wrapped up our first rotation and we took off to find somewhere to eat pizza at 10 pm.  Not as easy as you might think.  Thankfully we found the Southborough House of Pizza whose owner is the nicest man in the world and would have stayed open as long as we kept eating. 

We headed to Hopkinton State Park to rest for a little while before starting our next set of legs.  I was able to sleep for about an hour or so before I got the call that Runner 5 was on their way in and I should start preparing for my run.  I got dressed and put on all my reflective gear and went to use the bathroom. I was still a bit groggy from my nap and got a little turned around in the parking lot.  I began to panic when I couldn’t find the van and felt silly pacing back and forth along the row I swore my van was in.  My teammate Eric actually saw me anxiously circling around right near the van but didn’t realize I was lost so he just let me wander around like a crazy person (thanks Squatch).  I decided rather than to continue searching for a van that had obviously vanished I would just go to the TA and wait for runner #6, Mike, to come in.  The group eventually found me and it remains a mystery why I couldn’t find the van.  I was still trying to decide how many layers I needed for the cooler night air when Mike turned the corner toward us, I shed a long sleeve shirt and we got me put back together in just enough time.  I was off for my 2^nd leg and night run. 

Usually, I love my night runs at RTB.  It’s so unique and interesting to be running in the middle of the night and usually alone on the course.  The air is a comfortable temperature and you’re not distracted by the normal sounds you would hear during the day.  It’s refreshingly peaceful.  Unfortunately, this was not how I felt for this particular run.  It was 1:00 am and I had never really woken up from my quick nap, my knee was bothering me from the hills on leg 1 and my body just did not seem prepared for this run.  This was a 6.5 mile leg so I had the Van meet me about halfway for a quick drink and I powered through the last half.  I averaged a not so awesome 8:53 but quickly put the run behind me to support the rest of my team on their runs – especially Stacey who was running her first night run ever and was appropriately nervous.  Once again she was a trooper and by the end of Van 2’s set, the sun began to rise. 

During this next break we drove around looking for a diner or IHOP where we could find a good hearty breakfast but it was before 6:00 am and we got lost looking for the IHOP which wasn’t open yet anyway.  We gave up and settled for Dunkin’ Donuts.  It was enough refuel to prepare us for our last set of legs which came quickly.  We spent some time in Lakeville reorganizing the Van and cleaning up a bit while the morning heated up.  When we got word that Van 1 was getting closer I pounded a 5 hour energy hoping it would give me a little extra boost for my last run of the relay.  Less than 10 minutes later I was bouncing off the proverbial walls.  Holy Moly - I felt like I drank a magic potion.  Someone turned on ‘Call Me Maybe’ and we turned the parking lot into Club RTB.  Several minutes later a van close by was playing The Devil Went Down to Georgia which I surprisingly was able to recite every word to (I messed up a couple of times when I realized I was being videotaped and got a little camera shy). 

Reeling in Mike

I was dying for Mike to get there so I could run.  When we finally caught sight of him I began reeling him in like a fish until I got the slap bracelet one last time.  My goal was to stay as close to an 8 mm as I could for the majority of the 5.85 mile leg.  To help keep me charged up Van 1 pulled up next to me blaring Kei$ha – I started to ‘race the van’ (I felt like superman) and danced along with them.  I told them to get out of there and I would see them at the beach but soon after I began to feel very dry and thirsty.  I had asked my team to meet me half way with some water so around the 2.5 mile mark where there was a slight incline I began to really looking forward to seeing the team.  Suddenly, there they were…I couldn’t have missed them with the familiar sound of our new favorite song and all my van-mates performing the popular choreography.  I laughed the whole way up that hill, took some water and powered on.

Some of the more competitive teams at Reach the Beach aim to pass as many runners on the course as they can.  They call each pass a ‘kill’ and some even track their kills on their van.  While I realize this is all in good fun, I’m not a fan of this tradition and find it to be somewhat contradictory to the unique camaraderie of the RTB.  That being said, I totally passed at least a half-dozen runners on this leg and it felt good to feel so strong for my last run (thank you 5 hour energy!).  I started to slow down a bit at the last mile and there was a bit of an incline at the end so I ended up averaging 8:02 but I wasn’t disappointed at all.  It was a great run! 

Eric was up next and like his two legs earlier in the race he was crazy fast.  Eric is consistently fast and happy – a perfect RTB teammate.  Brian went next and was determined to catch a team of strong women called ‘Where’s Mom’ who all wore these awesome sequined mini skirts over their running shorts.  When we saw Brian half way through his leg we let him know she was about a minute and half ahead.  At the TA when we finally saw Brian head for his finish he was waving the skirt in the air while the Where’s Mom runner waved his tail.  It was a great moment for everyone!

Stacey is all smiles at her first RTB

Stacey’s last leg was next and she had been anxious about it since it was the longest of her runs.  She headed out and we met her a couple of miles in where she was clearly overheating and having a tough time.  The temperature had climbed quite a bit and there was very little shade not to mention she was exhausted.  We walked with her a little bit and talked about options even letting her know if she wasn’t comfortable finishing we could have someone take over the leg.  That was not an option for her but she did allow Brian to come out and jog with her for a bit.  The next time we saw Stacey she had a huge smile and simply said ‘I’m gonna finish’…and she sure did.

John’s last leg was 7.29 – one of the longest for our van and he had to dig deep too since it was getting so warm and he had pushed very hard his first couple of runs.  He finished up and Kristina was ready to bring us to the beach.  We stopped along the way and enjoyed an impromptu dance party with another van to…what else?...Call Me Maybe and to help Kristina stay hydrated.  This leg was also over 7 miles and a little bit difficult.  We met her one more time before going our separate ways and meeting Van 1 at the beach where they had been resting and soaking up some sun as well as enjoying the post race food and beers.  The whole team gathered to join Kristina in the last few feet of the course and crossed the finish line together. We then got to relax, enjoy the ‘refreshments’ and chat with other teams.  Before we finally left the beach we cranked our favorite song one more time for a Chasing Tail dance party.  For several of our new teammates a particular lyric of the song is extra appropriate: Hey, I just met you…And this is crazy!

Chasing Tail completed Reach the Beach: MA 2012 in 28 hours, 52 minutes and 41 seconds …loving every moment of it.  As always, the race organizers did an amazing job and we can't thank the volunteers enough! We can’t wait to do it all again in New Hampshire this September!

Check out our team video from Spring 2012 here: Awesome Chasing Tail Video - Sp 2012

In regards to my personal performance, I was happy overall.  I have not been doing much speed work and my hamstrings definitely need to strengthen.  I should have stayed more hydrated throughout the race and my nutrition was not ideal but it’s a challenging couple of days to stay healthy in that respect.  I found the hills especially challenging so I will have to focus on some inclines getting ready for my upcoming races. 

After all the laundry’s done, the photos are posted and I’m caught up on sleep it will be time to refocus on preparing for the other upcoming races leading up to NYC in November.  Remember, if you would like to support my fundraising campaign please visit: http://go.liverfoundation.org/goto/LauraNYC

We Reached The Beach
Chasing Tail is (Clockwise) Kristina Ingram, Brian Yoon, Michael Joyce, Bob Cassin,
Andy Barrett, Eric Bristol, Nancy Ruscio-Bell,  John Gianitsis, Laura Dempsey,
Stacey Kinnier, Kate O'Malley and Dennis Costello

Follow Chasing Tail on Facebook and Twitter

Looking for some inspiration? Meet Jack Morea.

I do not care for running in the rain.  Some people love it but not me.  Yesterday morning it was raining and I needed to run so I put on my tough girl pants and ran in the rain.  While I was out there I remembered that many of the individuals I am training in honor of through the liver foundation would love to be healthy enough to run, in any weather.  It’s such a blessing to be healthy and strong so I wanted introduce everyone to a friend who really appreciates that.  Meet Jack Morea.

Little Jack and I - 2006

In 2005 I needed a number for the Boston Marathon and had heard good things about the American Liver Foundation’s team.  I applied and was waitlisted (I was one of many women in their 20’s with minimal fundraising experience who had applied).  I eventually called the office and convinced the team manager to accept me to the team.  I was thrilled to learn I had scored an official race number but a little nervous about the fundraising – if I only knew what lied ahead I may have been nervous about my life turning upside down.

I knew nothing about liver disease but I joined the ALF ‘patient match program’ and was matched with a little boy, Jack Morea.  Jack, who was just 2 at the time, was born with biliary atresia – a pediatric liver disease that affects the bile ducts.  I exchanged emails with Jack’s mom, Michelle, and she told me all about their experience; how scary it was and how Jack needed a liver transplant to survive.  Then she explained that her husband Dominic was able to be a live donor for Jack.  They took a piece of Dom’s liver and transplanted it into Jack – then within months both livers regenerated to full size.  I was blown away and then learned that this was relatively new technology – the first live liver transplant in the US was in 1989.  I realized the money I was raising was helping to fund research and testing that resulted in progress just like this.  I could be part of more miracles like Jack’s.  I finally had an opportunity to meet the whole Morea family including Jack’s sister Catie and his brother Carl that April when they came to visit for the marathon. It was as if we had known each other forever and Jack’s infectious smile stayed with me through all 26.2 miles on race day.

Jack today!

Running for Jack was one of the reasons I knew I wanted to be more involved with the cause.  The summer after that marathon I went to work for ALF managing the marathon team.  I was committed to not only raising crucial funds for the cause but to also continue educating the community about liver disease and liver health.  I had seen right before my eyes how the research to provide better treatments and solutions can save a life.  Jack will be 10 years old this summer and while he has had more than his fair share of challenges, he lives life to the fullest enjoying school, his friends and sports.  Thanks to the magic of Facebook I get to see photos of him all the time and every time I see him playing lacrosse or smiling with friends, I’m inspired all over again. 

You can support my NYC Marathon campaign with a donation to the American Liver Foundation here: http://go.liverfoundation.org/goto/LauraNYC