On the Run: Martian Invasion of Races 10K 2016

On one of the colder, snowier days we've had in a long time (I swear, spring in southeast Michigan has been colder than winter!), Brian and I reluctantly shed our warm layers and stepped out of the car.  Normally we run from home to Ford Field Park for the Martian Invasion of Races but because of the cold, we decided to drive and park a bit closer.  It was going to be a long morning outside and we needed other clothes nearby.  We were running the 10K at 8:00, cheering for friends finishing the half around 10:30, and meeting my students at 11:15 to run the Kids' Marathon at 12:00.  

It was snowing when we got to the start corral and the winds were picking up.  I wasn't wearing my racing flats and had on my huge warm mittens.  Thank goodness I wasn't planning on racing this thing today, not with Boston a week away.  My plan was to start out at marathon pace (7:15/mile) and drop down if my legs were feeling okay, hoping to get in some good tempo miles.  I didn't start at the front because I didn't want to push the pace.  I also wasn't really paying attention, was talking to people, and all of a sudden the corral was filled up all the way to the start line!  

Thankfully the crowd thinned out quickly.  As planned, I started out at marathon pace.  At the first mile marker I caught up to three ladies, held pace with them, then inched ahead on a slight incline.  (Hill work is paying off!)  One of them caught back up to me and got ahead until mile 2.  At that point the course hits a ramp that heads downhill to Hines Drive.  I had picked up the pace a bit and caught up to her again.  Once we hit Hines - my familiar training ground - I passed her.  I was motivated by volunteers cheering and a cameraman.  I smiled, waved, and thanked them all.  Before I knew it I had pulled away.  When I hit the turn-around and heard a volunteer say "first female" I was shocked.  I hadn't realized no other ladies were ahead of me!  

After the turn-around I saw a few other people I knew to wave at and cheer for, including Brian.  Then the course hits the paved trail section that winds through campus, where it gets a little hilly.  This year the race was small so it was a bit lonely in there.  I only saw two men ahead of me the whole time on the trail.  After chicking the first one I chased the second one the whole way to back to Michigan Avenue, where I was finally able to pass him.  Unlike Rock CF a few weeks ago, my legs felt good and strong finishing.  It was much slower than my best Martian time, but it was a solid tempo run at the end of a less-than-ideal marathon build-up.  

Brian did an amazing job with his race!  He has not been a fan of 10Ks but this one might have made him a convert - even in the wintry conditions!

After the race I ran a couple of cool down miles (in a white-out), then hit Starbucks to warm up with coffee and oatmeal.  Then it was back to the races to cheer on some fellow RUNdetroit Flight Club friends as they finished the half marathon.  I also picked up my award - a stein and medallion from Glass Academy as well as a free entry for next year's Martian 10K.  YAY!

Time

43:20

Pace

6:59/Mile

Fuel

banana

Tunes

E.T. / Katy Perry

S.O.B. / Nathanial Rateliff & The Nightsweats

Shut Up and Dance / WALK THE MOON

Caught Up / Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas

St. Cecelia / Foo Fighters

Born Again Teen / Lucius

Random Name Generator / Wilco

Swell Content / Speedy Ortiz

Something About You / Lucius

Girl From Mars / Ash

The Walker / Fitz & the Tantrums

Deceptacon / Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas

Cadillac, Cadillac / Train

Finally it was time to go meet the 50+ students (4-5th Grade Girls Running Club, plus other boys and girls in K-5) and my co-captain who were coming to run the Martian Kids' Marathon from my school.  Since February the kids have been running and logging miles, trying to run 25 miles total.  Saturday they were lining up to run their final 1.2 miles of the marathon.  At the end they would each receive a marathon medal for their hard work.  

I was so proud of all the mini martians!  While we waited in the cold, the kids warmed up with high knees and knee hugs to get their muscles ready.  Then they ran their hearts out, with smiles on their faces.  Crossing the finish line with these kids made my heart happier than crossing it during my own race.

And see that girl in the pink?  Watch out for that one.  She may be small but she's determined and she's got quite a kick.

On the Run: Rock CF 1/2 Marathon 2016

I wasn't ready to race a half marathon.  I hadn't done a true speed workout or tempo run since before the NYC marathon in November.  None of my paces have improved over the course of my training cycle and if anything, they have only become more challenging to maintain.  To make matters worse, my quads had been sore for a week from a hilly long run.  Yet here I was, toeing the starting line on March 20th at the 6th annual Rock CF Rivers Half Marathon.  This is my favorite race and I wouldn't miss it for anything.  

Brian and I arrived at 5:45 to volunteer at the packet pickup table.  I love handing racers their shirts and bibs and wishing them luck on the race.  This year everything was staged at Grosse Ile Middle School for the first time - packet pickup, port-a-potties, start/finish, and post-race snacks.  There has been a gradual shift from the high school to the middle school over the years and it was nice to finally have everything at one location.  While I had to sneak away from my shift a little early to prepare to run, Brian could stay on as super volunteer even after the race started.

The atmosphere at Rock CF is always fun and relaxed, thanks in large part to Emily Schaller, race director extraordinaire.  She is why this race has been such a success since it's first year.  I waited in the corral with some of my Be Bold Crew friends, which helped me relax a bit.  I don't get nervous for races often but today I was worried.  How fast should I run?  How fast COULD I run?  Would my quads hold out?  This was not going to be pretty.

Starting the race with Coach Geo

What was pretty, however, was the sunshine.  And the blue skies.  And the water.  So I took it all in as I ran.  This course is beautiful as it winds around the island and the miles always pass quickly.  I was pushing hard but with each passing mile, my legs grew more and more tired.  Generally I'm able to pick up the pace as my legs warm up but I was fearing the worst - I had gone out too hard and was going to bonk.  I took my gel around mile 7 (earlier than usual) in hopes that it would help give me some added energy.  Before I knew it I was approaching the relay exchange, close to the 8-mile mark.  I saw several RUNdetroit friends .  They cheered and I waved, which gave me a confidence boost.  This was great but I also ran a little too fast after because I was excited.  My pacing was just all over the map!

Nothing beats a Rock CF sunrise

Between the exchange and mile 10 I started to struggle.  My quads, which started giving me trouble around mile 3, began to seize up.  I had real doubts about being able to finish the race in any respectable time.  I sidled up to another racer at the 9-mile mark and started chatting.  We talked for about a mile until we got to the hangar.  I knew there I would see Justin and ACE! from RUNdetroit - another boost.  Upon exiting the hangar there is just another 5K to go!  The next mile flew by for me.  YES!  I can do it!

Then I hit a wall.  Yes, a wall in a half marathon.  I'm still not sure I've ever hit one in a marathon but here I was at mile 11 of a half marathon and I was DONE.  My quads were screaming at me.  It was windy.  Every "hill" felt like a mountain.  I couldn't stop looking at my watch.  I contemplated jumping in the police car I passed.  On the outside I was smiling and waving but on the inside I was cursing and crying.  

I passed my friend Zach with about .6 mile to go.  "How ya feeling?" he asked?  "Like sh*t!" I yelled back with a laugh.  "Almost there!" he said.  And although I really was almost there, it felt like forever before I rounded the corner into the finish chute. 

Running through the finish chute felt as if my legs were in slow motion.  Did Emily fill it with pudding this year?  Surely she must have.  I did not give it my all because I had nothing left to give.  I ran it in smiling and waving at Brian.  I wasn't fast but I was happy.  

Photographic evidence - no pudding in the finish chute

Emily congratulated each racer as he or she finished

The best part about the day was being with my running families - RUNdetroit and Be Bold Crew.  RUNdetroit sponsored the 5K and representation was strong in the 5K, half marathon, and 2-person relay.  Everyone ran strong and many people set PRs.  We had a few pacers, as well!  I was proud of each and every one of them!

RUNdetroit Flight Club

Coach Terra was there with the Be Bold Bus and had the tent set up with snacks including bagels and Nakee Butter.  Everyone in the crew set PR's for the half marathon and Roger relayed in his fire fighter gear. 

Be Bold Crew

Coach Terra says I set a happy PR because I ran with a smile.  As for my time, I ran this race 6 minutes slower than two years ago.  Yes, a 6-minute negative PR.  I wasn't happy about that but it gave me a wake-up call about where I am in my training.  It reminded me where I want to be and forced me to take a good hard look at what I need to do to get there.  It's still early in the season.  I have plenty of time for happy, bold, and fast running ahead!

Time 

1:34:26

Pace  
7:13 min/mile

    

Fuel 

Munkpack - Apple Quinoa Cinnamon, banana (pre-race)

CLIF Shot - Vanilla (during)

Tunes

10th Floor Ghost Girl / Cibo Matto

The Joke Explained / Wilco

Ex's and Oh's / Elle King

St. Cecelia / Foo Fighters

Black and White / Parquet Courts

Born Again Teen / Lucius

Violent Shiver / Benjamin Booker

I'm Shakin' / Jack White

Gold on the Ceiling / The Black Keys

After the Disco / Broken Bells

You Were on My Mind / Lucius

Runaway Baby / Bruno Mars

Dead Brains / Jessica Hernandez

The Walker / Fitz & the Tantrums

Shake it Off / Taylor Swift

Pedestrian at Best / Courtney Barnett

S.O.B. / Nathanial Rateliffe & the Nightsweats

Anklebiters / Paramore

Ship to Wreck / Florence + the Machine

Blood for Poppies / Garbage

Rattlesnake / St. Vincent

The Innocent / Mayer Hawthorne

Deceptacon / Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas

50 Ways to Say Goodbye / Train

Man / Neko Case

Race for the Prize / The Flaming Lips

Brave / Sara Bareilles

And of course, none of this would be possible without my rock - Brian.  What other husband would get you to the race at 5:45, volunteer before and during the race, take amazing photos, and be there waiting with a hug when you're done?  

All photos by Brian Wolski

How do you feel about racing when you are not race-ready?

PRP - Round 2

At the beginning of February I had a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection to heal high hamstring tendonopathy/tendonosis.  (You can read about the procedure here.)  My hamstring had gotten so bad due to overtraining and failure to listen to not only my body but also professionals who were telling me to take a break.  That overtraining and continued running through pain ultimately led to 12 weeks off running, at which point I had the PRP injection, which required another 4 weeks off.  Was all the overtraining worth it?  I think you know the answer.  

Even now, 9 months post-PRP, I am still not fully healed.  I am running stronger and faster, have greater mobility and better form, but I still have a niggling pain in the top of my hamstring.  It has always been there.  I'd say at best I was 95%.  At worst I was probably 20% (pre-PRP) so that was a huge improvement!

Because I never fully healed, there was always the chance I would have a second injection.  Many people have PRP done twice and are very successful after the second time.  The plan was to get through my training, run NYC, and then reassess.  Coach Terra was helping me to make sure I was training smartly, getting massages, activating pre-run, and stretching/foam rolling post-run.  She was keeping tabs on how my hamstring was feeling and adjusting my weekly plans as needed.  The niggling was up and down but it was all manageable.

Then I tripped on a construction sign in the dark 7 weeks pre-marathon and strained my MCL.  KT Tape kept me running without knee pain but gradually the hamstring started to feel worse.  By the time I ran the American Home Fitness 5K it had gone from niggling to painful.  

As for the marathon, I didn't do much to prep for it hill-wise, fearful that I would ruin my hamstring in the training before I even got to the race.  Whether that I was smart or not, I won't know and can't worry about it now.  That course is filled with hills so I might have been underprepared no matter how well I trained here.  What I can say is that by the time I hit the Queensborough Bridge around mile 15, my hamstring was sore.  And by the time I came off that bridge at mile 16, my hamstring was just about done.  But I still had 10 more miles and the rest of the course only got harder.  After the marathon it hurt to sit or bend down to tie my shoes.

Up until this recent marathon, things were going relatively well.  Most of my runs were pain-free or with minimal pain.  However, if there is a chance I can be healed 100% I want to go for it.  If it doesn't work then I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

My procedure is scheduled for tomorrow morning.  I'll let you know how it goes!

On the Run: Women Run the D 2015

I swore I would never run this race again after last year.  But when it came down to it, I couldn't turn down a free race entry.  I wasn't exactly looking forward to the race but in the weeks preceding it, I did a few training runs on Belle Isle to mentally prepare for race day.  One was a solo 13-mile tempo run, which was especially good because it gave me the practice of the double loops at race pace.  I've also started to make my peace with running on the island, now that it's become the home of our Be Bold Crew.  

The Be Bold recovery station

Women Run the D is scheduled back-to-back weekends with The Brooksie Way.  A couple days before the race Coach Terra asked me to pick one for my goal race.  Of course that would be Brooksie.  I needed a solid 20-miler the weekend of Women Run the D so we decided I would run that one as an aerobic training run, cross the finish line, and just keep running another 7 miles.  That took off so much pressure for me knowing I was NOT racing this thing but just using it as training!  It would be perfect.  A training run with port-a-potties before and after, water stations, cheering spectators, and a Be Bold recovery station when I was finally done!  

Just the Tuesday prior to the race I had tripped over a construction sign while running before work.  My left knee was scabbed and I had road rash on left thigh.  The real problem, however, was my inner right knee.  It was sore to the touch and a bit painful to walk on.  Somehow running was okay once I got going.  I had taken it easy in the days between the fall and the race with lots of rest, ice, and Ibuprofin the day before.  On race day I took Aleve and got taped up by Coach Stefanie (aka The Dynamic Runner).  I actually felt pretty good.

The race start was moved from the Casino closer to the bridge.  I met up with my RUNdetroit family and the Be Bold Crew.  As usual, the race start was delayed by 15 minutes.  I waited until the last minute to go up to the start line.  After we took off, it was another girl and me at the front behind two lead bikes.  We were side by side until the first turn when the other girl shoved me aside.  She actually pushed me over into the other lane!  I wanted to laugh so hard because A) If you've ever been on Belle Isle you know that the road is very wide.  Certainly wide enough for two small runners to share without the need to push or shove. B) It was just the two of us.  Nobody was even close behind us.  What was she thinking?  C)  I wasn't even racing this thing!  I wanted to shout, "It's all yours!"  She had no idea what a long and lonely race she had ahead of her.  

Instead I thought about what a happy run I was going to have.  20 miles, here I come!  I took it all in.  I waved to everyone on the course.  I thanked all the volunteers.  I said good morning to the spectators and other people out enjoying the day.  Each mile ticked away quickly and easily.  

When I got back near the starting line I saw Coach Terra, Justin and ACE! from RUNdetroit, and some other friends.  I was feeling fantastic!  I continued around to the other side of the island.

Before long I met up with the 5K'ers for the first time.  It's hard because many don't realize that runners are coming.  They are either running slowly or walking, sometime 4-5 across. It makes for quite the obstacle course!  Some of the ladies are more observant than others and I got some cheers and shouts of "You go girl!" along the way when they realized I was a half marathoner.  That was a nice boost.  They made their turn just before my mile 7.

It was at this point I found one of the lead bikers waiting for me.  I was so grateful that she had stayed back.  The next stretch of island was going to be a lonely one, lacking both runners and spectators.  I was grateful for the company!  As she rode she would glance back to make sure her distance was okay and I felt like I needed to keep up.  My own personal pacer!  haha.  When we converged with the 5K runners again she helped get them to move out of my way so I didn't have to weave around them.  Later I saw Justin again and joked that I couldn't get lost in this race!  I even chatted with her here and there but that was hard because it was windy in some spots making it hard to hear each other.

The route was a bit different this year so it wasn't two full loops of the island.  Near the end we made a turn at the Athletic Fields and ran past the old zoo.  This is where Be Bold Mechanics class meets so it felt like home.  As we turned into the final stretch at the finish line, my lead bike pulled off to the side.  I crossed the finish line with the biggest smile on my face.  My friend Jen was handing out medals.  She scooped me up in a huge hug!  Then I ran over to my lead biker and gave her a hug, thanking her for the company. She was wonderful to come back for me!

After that I quick ran to the Be Bold bus where I tossed my water and medal to the Crew and was off and running again.  I maybe stopped running for a minute total.  Then I ran across the bridge, down Jefferson, and picked up the Riverwalk for 3.5 miles before I turned around and came back, completing my 20 miles for the day.

When I got back I got to hear all the happy news from friends who had amazing races.  It was wonderful to celebrate with them!  I was also just in time for the awards ceremony.  I placed 2nd overall.  This year they didn't give free entries again so it will be my last year running it.  I got a cozy blanket, another single medal hanger (I got one last year.  Honestly what do you do with these things?), and a gift card to American Home Fitness.  

Of all my 20-milers, this was by far my best and happiest!  Healthy legs + happy heart = successful training run!  

Time 

1:31:14

Pace  
6:58 min/mile

    

Fuel 

CLIF Mojo - Peanut Butter Pretzel, Banana (pre-race)

CLIF Shot - Vanilla (Mile 5)

   

Tunes 

Turn it Around / Lucius

10th Floor Ghost Girl / Cibo Matto

  Don't Save Me / Haim

 Ex's & Oh's / Elle King

Don't Take My Man to Idaho / Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas
Ship to Wreck / Florence + the Machine 
Birth in Reverse / St. Vincent
Man / Neko Case
Caught Up / Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas
Rattlesnake / St. Vincent
Youth Without Youth / Metric

I Love It / Icona Pop

Hell / Tegan & Sara

Dance Apocalyptic / Janelle Monae

Dead Brains / Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas

Keep Your Head / The Ting Tings

Bulletproof / La Roux

Shake it Off / Taylor Swift

Youth Without Youth / Metric 

Ex-Girlfriend / No Doubt

Shut Up and Drive / Rihanna

Born This Way / Lady Gaga

You've Got Time / Regina Spektor

Kiss With a Fist / Florence + the Machine

Never Go Back / Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

Move Like You Stole It / ZZ Ward

Blood For Poppies / Garbage

All Hands on the Bad One / Sleater Kinney

Water Fountain / tUnE-yArDs

NOTE: This post was about MY run, MY race.  As for the Women's Half Marathon itself, I don't really have a lot of great things to say about it.  

• Expo - Hard to find and underwhelming.  One of the big products/sponsors at expo was NuStep.  I'm not entirely sure why this was at a race expo.  Anyway, don't plan on spending much time at their expo.  You may even want to just get your stuff on race day so you don't have to pay for parking.
• Shirts - Usually the shirts are ultra tiny so I order a medium.  This year they went with a different shirt company so even after being in the dryer on high, it's still too big.  Order true to size.
• Course - While I give them credit for changing up the course a bit, it's still a half marathon on Belle Isle.  That island is good for a 5K or 10K but too small for 13.1 miles.  Some friends had the idea of making it a 15K, which I think would be perfect.
• Organization - By year 3 a race should be getting their stuff together.  Every year it starts 15 minutes late because not everyone is there on time.  By starting late, however, people think they don't have to get there on time.  It's always a delayed start but there's never a clear announcement about the new start time.  Or if there is you don't know because their speaker system is so bad.
• Pink - Everything is PINK!  It's women's race but not all women love pink!
• Port-a-Potties - NOT ENOUGH!  This is a WOMEN'S race.  Women pee.  A LOT.  I'm not sure if this race follows the 1:100 formula but they should probably go with a 1:50 formula.  The lines were super long.  But note that the Casino does have a few restrooms that you can use in a pinch.

One nice thing about the event is free photos.  Race photos can be expensive so it's nice to get them free at this event!  They took them at a few points around the island.

Did you run Women Run the D?  Tell me about your experience!

On the Run: Run Wild for the Zoo 10K 2015

Run Wild always feels to me like the start of Fall racing season.  Although it's not quite Fall officially, it's mid-September and the weather is usually perfect - 50 degrees and sunny.  The course is tree-lined and leaves are just starting to change colors.  It's hard to believe that just the weekend before it was a muggy 80+ degrees for racing!

As I've said before, this is one of my favorites because it's always my anniversary race.  (8 years!)  I love going back to it year after year with lighter shoes and a faster pace.    Besides the nostalgic aspect of it, it's a beautiful course with some of the friendliest volunteers and course marshals I've seen.  

This year the race was extra special for a couple of reasons.  First of all, my 5th grade nephew Luka ran his first 5K.  He and I ran together over the summer to get ready for it.  It was so exciting to see him cross the finish line with Brian.  Yes with Brian!  For the first time Brian ran this race, too!  This is one of those races that I usually go to by myself but because he ran it with Luka, he was there to see me cross the finish line.  

I actually had a lot of people there to see me finish.  Because Luka ran his 5K, his parents and siblings were there.  The event was also a target race for RUNdetroit Flight Club so there were lots of friends at the end.  Most of them had already finished the 5K so they were there to cheer me on.

Definitely the most special part, however, was that I raced with my friend and RUNdetroit teammate Sarah.  Every step of the way.  

I hadn't planned on doing this race with Sarah.  She texted me the day before, saying she was going to sign up and would pace me for it.  Sarah wanted to help me get a PR.  I'm going to be honest here.  I FREAKED.  All these thoughts went through my head: 

• I don't need help.  I just want to run my own race.  
• She's faster than I am!  Why is she slowing down to run with me?!
• I'm not fast enough.  What if I let her down?
• I can't run that fast right now.  It's not in my wheelhouse.
• I can't.  I can't.  I can't.

Thankfully Sarah knows me and knew I was freaking out.  All my crazy texts just rolled off her (at least I hope they did!).  I woke up in the morning with a calm mind and a fresh, positive perspective.  I realized that even though Sarah is faster than I am, pacing me WAS the race she wanted to run.  And the reason I was freaking out is because I was lacking confidence.  I was about to step outside of my comfort zone and that's scary.  It was time to be bold.  But I needed Sarah to help me.

Brian and I got to the race at 7:00 for parking and packet pickup.  There was Sarah.  We hugged and everything was okay.  We had a long time before our race at 9:00!  Plenty of time for multiple port-a-potty stops (which are always clean and have short wait times at this race).  We did a 2-mile warm-up with our friend Leamon and then finally took off our long sleeves and headed over to the start.  

As I said, Sarah and I ran the whole race together.  We chatted (she did more talking than I did) for the first 4.5 miles.  We waved to and thanked all the spectators and volunteers.  It was nice to catch up on life because we haven't seen each other as much lately as in the past.  I'm pretty sure we annoyed the men that we were passing along the way, seeing how easily we were talking and laughing.  But hey, we were having fun!

Around 3.75 miles in, Sarah commented that she really wanted to catch a guy ahead of us.  She could tell he was fading but I didn't think I had it in me to run any faster.  At the 4-mile marker she asked about pace.  I was happily surprised to see and shouted, "That's PR pace!"  It was a nice boost and I realized we'd nearly closed the gap between us and the dude ahead.  We rounded a corner and got closer.  We could hear him breathing.  He was checking his Garmin constantly.  This was it.  Sarah stopped talking, we pushed the pace just a hair, and we chicked him.  

I felt really strong for the rest of that mile but the last mile was harder.  I felt like I was going to puke.  Sarah must have noticed (or maybe I told her) because she started talking again to help keep me going.  At some point she told me that when we got to the finish line she was going to let me go first.  I said no, we needed to finish together.  I couldn't have done it without her.  Whatever happens happens.  So that's what we did.  Photo finish.

We tied.  40:27 for us both.  They gave me first and her second, though I'm not sure how that was decided.  My award was a gift certificate to Massage Envy.  I gave it to Sarah because she deserves it, earned it, and never treats herself to massages.  

Oh, and I got my PR!  I couldn't have done it without Sarah.  It's good to have a friend who believes in you when you don't believe in yourself.  That's what teamwork is all about.

Time

40:27

Pace

6:31/Mile

Fuel

Banana, CLIF Mojo - Peanut Butter Pretzel

And this guy always believes in me.  Thanks, Brian.  

On the Run: The Crim 2015

I've been hearing people talk about The Crim for years, long before I considered myself a "real runner."  The stories always went that it's challenging, hilly, lots of fun, and a must-do race for any Michigan runner.  It's in Flint, which is about an hour and twenty minute drive for us.  That always seemed farther than I wanted to go for a 10-mile race.  It's at the end of August and almost always HOT.  I'm usually thinking how glad I am not to be out racing that day!

This year I decided to see what all the excitement is about.  Was it really worth driving to Flint?

Uh yeah.  Totally worth it.

Brian and I needed to get on the road at 5am so I had to adjust my pre-race routine a bit.  Instead of getting up an hour before leaving I only gave myself 30 minutes so I could get a little more sleep.  This was plenty of time to get ready.  (What on earth do I usually do with an hour's time?!)  I never have coffee before a race but with the drive ahead I made a small cup for the road.  I took my pre-race snacks with me to eat closer to race time.  

The drive was easy and honestly didn't seem as long as I'd anticipated.  No traffic at that time of day!  We made one stop in Holly at a gas station/McDonald's for the bathroom.  (Thank you coffee!  wink wink!)  

We parked in one of the U of M lots about half a mile from the start.  (It's across the street from a Rally's so we Googled that for directions.  We joked about driving all the way to Flint for Rally's!)  It's a great spot to park because it's close to all the race stuff, plus easy in and out.  

First we hurried over to packet pickup.  We ran into a few members of Be Bold Crew at the start line.  I was getting more excited!  I got my stuff and took it back to the car.  Brian and I split up here because I had to get my warm-up done and he wanted to run as many miles as he could before I was finished with the race.

I was done warming up around 7:30.  Time for the port-a-potties!  I started to panic because I knew I was cutting it close and the lines were long (race start was 8:00).  BUT I remembered a friend telling me about the portas on the left not getting used.  I wasn't sure what she was talking about until I saw.  (If you've been there you probably know.  If not just remember about the portas on the far left.)  So instead of 30 people in line I moved over and there were 3.  Nice and quick!  I was able to get my run drills in and be at the start line by 7:40.

Because the race is so big there are corrals.  I was in A but made sure to be at the back.  I didn't want to get run over!  Coach Terra was racing so we waited together.  It was so great to be there with her!  We hugged each other good luck and then it was time.  We were off!

At first it was really crowded and congested.  Everybody was bunched up and it was slow going.  I took a hard elbow to the shoulder.  (That guy meant business!)  At the first turn I was able to make my move and break away from the crowd.  FREEDOM!  The first part of the race is through the UM-Flint campus, which is bigger than I expected.  I was surprised and excited to see Brian waiting for me!

Because I wasn't sure what to expect with this course, I set my goal at 6:50/mile.  I knew there were hills starting at mile 5.  I ended up pulling a Boston and ran the miles up until that point faster than planned just in case the hills slowed me down.  They didn't.  Miles 4-6 were all exactly the same pace and I got faster from there.  I love hills!  It felt so good to take them on again in a race.  Even after the big hills in mile 5 there were rolling hills throughout the rest of the course.  I credit the crowd support as well as the other racers to help push me to run faster.  My last few races have been small and a bigger race makes a difference.

When I got back into the downtown area I was starting to get tired.  The last mile felt long.  I turned the final corner and suddenly Doug Kurtis was in front of me.  He had to have been in front of me for a long time but I hadn't seen him.  I focused on chasing him to the finish line.  I didn't catch him but we did finish in the exact same time!

After the race I saw so many runner friends, many of whom I hadn't seen in a long time.  This race definitely draws people from all over!  Then I caught up with my Crew.  They all did an awesome job.  I'm proud to run with them!

I'm really proud of myself for this race.  For my time and pace, sure.  But mostly because this was the first race since my injury that I truly felt confident.  I felt like the old Amanda out there on the course.  The Amanda that used to race boldly and fearlessly.  My injury robbed me of that confidence and it's taken me 6 months to regain trust in myself.  But I went cautiously during my recovery period for a reason.  And now I'm ready.  I think I just needed the right race at the right time.  Talking to Coach Terra right before the race helped, too.

Swapping race stories with Coach Terra

After the race I ran another 4 miles to finish out my long run for the day.  It was a good way to loosen up my legs before the car ride home.  For the rest of the day I felt like I was walking on air!  I was so excited and happy.  I haven't been this happy after a race in a long time.  Did I place in my age group?  No.  Did I win anything?  No.  Am I back to my fastest?  Not yet.  

But with a happy hamstring and newfound confidence, I'm on my way.

Time 

1:07:32

Pace  
6:45 min/mile

    

Fuel 

CLIF Mojo - Peanut Butter Pretzel, Banana (pre-race)

CLIF Shot - Vanilla (Mile 6)

   

Tunes 

Water Fountain / tUnE-yArDs

Kiss with a Fist / Florence + the Machine

  Random Name Generator / Wilco

 Strangers / Langhorne Slim & the Law

Dear Rosemary / Foo Fighters
Supermassive Black Hole / Muse 
Bulletproof / La Roux
Crushcrushcrush / Paramore
Believer/ American Authors
Discipline / Nine Inch Nails
One Engine / The Decemberists

Swell Content / Speedy Ortiz

Digital Witness / St. Vincent

Violent Shiver / Benjamin Booker

Everybody Talks / Neon Trees

Anklebiters / Paramore

Runaway Baby / Bruno Mars

Man / Neko Case

Youth Without Youth / Metric 
Deceptacon / Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas

Cadillac, Cadillac / Train

Oh and when I said this race draws runners from all over, I wasn't kidding.  The winner of the women's race was Caroline Rotich, who also won this year's Boston Marathon.  So yeah, Crim is big.

I'm so glad I finally ran Crim this year and am already excited for next year's race!

Photo credit: Brian Wolski