2013 Race Schedule

Of course, now that it is 2013, I am excited to see how many races I can feasibly fit into my schedule. I love to race, if that isn't obvious. There is something about the excitement and adrenaline that gives me such a high! Needless to say, my 2013 race schedule is filling up fast!

As I look at my list, I can't help but notice how my racing style has changed just in the past year. I've gone from loving the half-marathon distance to full marathons. I've also acquired quite an intense crush on trail running, and find myself craving more time on mountains that I do on the roads. It's interesting how tastes can evolve. Even over just the course of a year. I'm excited to see what this year brings!

Without further ado, here are the runs that are taking up space on my race calendar presently:

Tiger Mountain 25k 
In case you were curious, I have dropped down from the 50k to the 25k for this race, which is coming up January 5. There are many reasons behind my decision to stick with 25k. First and foremost, I don't feel like I am trained for an intense trail 50k, which would be about 8 or 9 hours of intense climbing and descending. This is me trying to be smart and look forward to staying healthy the rest of the year. This is a very laid back race, without any support. I am running with Ultra Marathoner Jess and my friend Matt. It is sure to be freezing cold, snowy and lots of fun!

Lake Youngs Nuts Run
I am hoping to be able to do this race January 26, but I am also not sure I will be able to get off work that day. If I can get off, I will probably try to do 2 loops of Lake Youngs which is about 19 miles. Several friends will be running this, and it is a smaller race, so it's sure to be fun!

Birch Bay Marathon
I was going back and forth on whether or not to do this race because I didn't want to drive two hours north by myself and back again. I finally found a friend, though, who was willing to come and run the half marathon! I've heard the race is a giant loop, which I will be doing 2 of for the marathon. This will be a fun adventure because I've heard it is a beautiful course!

Lord Hill Trail Run
I have several friends who are running various distances for this race. I am planning to run, I am just not sure how far yet! Since it's a week after the Birch Bay Marathon, I am definitely not going to be completing the 50k, but I will probably either do the 20 mile or 10 mile run.

Eugene Marathon
I have no races scheduled after Lord Hill until the Eugene Marathon April 28! I am STOKED for this race. I am doing it with my favorite running buddies, but I also know a LOT of bloggers will also be at this race. It's sure to be fun and I've heard it is a great course. With the spirit of Prefontaine, a new PR may be in my future here!

Rock N Roll Seattle Marathon
And apparently I only run marathons now, because I also registered for the Rock n Roll Seattle Marathon on June 22. I've never run the full marathon course for the race before, but have completed the half the past several years. There are always a lot of people running this race and I know my favorite running buddies will be running, too!

So that's my race calendar for the next half year. I'm sure more races will be added, but for now, this looks like a good start! Three marathons by the end of June? I'll take it! Are you signed up for any of these or are there any races you are doing that aren't on my list?

Reason's I'm Excited for the NYC Marathon

It looks like all signs point towards RUN for New York City this weekend. There are a lot of mixed feelings about this. Some people think the race should have been cancelled because of Sandy and in regard for those struggling and the city's clean-up effort.

I am torn on Mayor Bloomberg and the NYRR's decision to hold the race as planned. I think it will be a great boost for New York in the wake of so much destruction, but I also think it is slightly selfish to be holding a marathon when so many are in such bad shape.

Anyways, the race looks like it is going on! And I am pretty much a little fire ball of anxiety about everything other than actually running 26.2 miles. My main concerns are flying into the city, getting my bib from the expo, and, most importantly, making it to the start line. As of now, there is very little transportation going down to lower Manhattan, where I am supposed to be catching a ferry to the start line on Staten Island. We'll see how they work this one out.

I'm trying to take things one step at a time. And I'm trying to remind myself why I am been so excited to run! Here is a list of why I am pumped to head to New York tomorrow.

I'm running the freaking marathon again!
It is not lost on me that making it into the NYC lottery two years in a row is a slight miracle. It probably makes up for all the prizes I've never won in my life. If this is it, I'll certainly take it!

The marathon will, no doubt, be the highlight of my trip. Last year, the marathon was literally the best day I could have ever dreamed of. Sure, running 26.2 miles for the first time was the most challenging thing I had ever done, and I was in such pain for most of it. However, I will never forget the sense of accomplishment, the support I felt from my friends and the city itself, and the joy for running I exhibited on that day.

So many warm fuzzies, I can't even handle it!

I get to see my friends!

After graduating from college, I moved out to New York barely knowing a soul. I went through so much in my life during my 5 years there and made some of the greatest friends a girl could ask for.

Since I've been gone, my friends back on the east coast have been busy moving in with their boyfriends, getting pregnant and one has even had two surgeries!

That's a lot to miss in one year. I am so excited to celebrate the joys with them, and commiserate on the low points. That's what friends are for, right?

I get a new, shiny medal.
This may seem very superficial, but I love race bling. I've even been known not to sign up for a race simply because there is no medal involved. Haha. I'm crazy and I know it!

My New York City Marathon medal from last year sports a prominent place on my medal hanger, and every once in awhile I will pick it up and look at the back where my name and time are engraved. I am SO proud of that stinkin' medal!

I can't wait to get another this year. And you better believe I made sure my flight on Monday was booked later in the day so I could make it to Marathon Monday to get it engraved this year, too.

I get to feel like a rock star for 26.2 miles.

The back of my shirt. The front said "Allison" in the same green font.

One of the greatest tips I had when I ran NYC last year was to put my name on my shirt so people could cheer me on by my name. Brilliant idea. Bystanders were screaming my name and giving me high fives for pretty much the entire marathon. I have never felt so loved and important! Especially during those final miles when you just want to walk, tens of people yelling your name and telling you you can do this really helps with that final push.

Although I didn't get around to ordering a special shirt with my name on it this year, I'm excited to get high fives and generally feel like the most amazing person in the world. I mean, who doesn't love feeling important?!

I get to run. And race.
I am so grateful that I am able to run and that I have found such passion in the sport of racing. I feel so lucky that my body is able to do what I love, and do it well!

In the corrals. Making funny faces and pumped to race!

When I first learned of my dance injuries that would eventually make me retire, I was heartbroken. I didn't think there was anything that could ever replace the love I had for dance.

I have not only found a great replacement, but I love running so much more than I ever thought I could! It has made me new friends and given me so much mental clarity over the past few years.

Woo hoo! I just ran a half marathon in the freezing cold and I'm excited!

I am so excited to lace up my shoes with the thousands of other runners and get my race on for 26.2 miles. It's going to be a blast!

I'm going to be part of a Marathon legacy and 26.2 mile party after Sandy.

The decision to hold the marathon was, no doubt, a hard one to make, I'm sure. With so many more important things for the city to think about, a marathon seems pretty low on the totem pole. However, I am so proud and in awe of New York City's resilience and perseverance through all the madness. This is one city that will never be broken! And I think the marathon will do a great job of not only bringing people together again, but in showing that New York truly cannot be held down! It is going to be a great reminder of New York's strength and, more importantly, the strength of it's residents! I am excited to be apart of the race this year, for no other reason than it seems more important than in years past. Who knows how we will all get to the start line, or if any spectators will cheer, but it will be a bright day in a particularly nasty week that can hopefully still inspire and cheer up those who are still struggling.

Here we go!!!!

Tougher Mudder Possibilities

My CrossFit workout last night was somewhat easy by CrossFit standards. This probably means the workout this afternoon is going to be a tough one! We started out with 5 sets of 8 deadlifts. My legs were still a little tired I think from the race this weekend because I only got to 50kg.

After our workout, one of my friends and I started working on our pullups. I am on a mission to do kipping pullups without a band, so I have been working on them everyday after my WOD. I'm still a ways off and trying to figure out the best way to get there. I am torn between working with a band to do my kipping pull ups and working on the movement, or working my pullups from a deadhang to gain strength. So many differing opinions on this one as every trainer at my box seems to have a different opinion!

While we were practicing pull ups, one of our trainers mentioned doing the Tougher Mudder run in September. Have you ever heard of this race? It is a crazy obstacle course amidst a 12 mile run. There are some pretty insane obstacles! My trainer said his team was looking for more people and that we should do it!

Hold up. You want me to run a crazy race with all these obstacles with a bunch of hardcore CrossFit trainers, while I can barely do one pullup?

Nonetheless, I started getting really excited about it and my friend and I are seriously considering signing up! I'll keep ya posted!

This week, I'm doing what I feel like running mileage-wise. I figured a week "off" will keep me motivated during Marathon training in the coming months. Of course, I'm still running. This morning I had a lovely 6 mile run down to the beach and back. I love Tuesdays because they are usually my days off and I can run a bit later in the morning.

One last piece of news: I finally retired the shoes I have been running in since the NYC Marathon last year...whooops! I got a new pair of Brooks Ghost 4's awhile ago, but it takes awhile for me to break them in, so I was just using them on one or two short runs a week. Yesterday I finally made the switch. And I added some pretty sweet hot pink laces!

Have a good Tuesday!

Seawheeze Half Marathon

Hot damn I love racing. All last week I was so excited that I got to race this weekend. And Lululemon and Seawheeze sure did deliver!

Several months ago, when I met Rebecca, she mentioned that she was headed up to Vancouver for the Lululemon Seawheeze Half Marathon in August.

My thought process:
Vancouver? Awesome
Weekend exploring a new city? Awesome
Half Marathon? Super awesome
Sign me up yo!

Like that was a difficult decision at all...

Anyways, the weekend finally arrived and Rebecca picked me up Friday for our weekend adventure.Unfortunately, Canada is crazy, and after passing the border we were hit with some insane traffic. I guess those Canadians think its a good idea to try to squeeze five lanes of traffic down to one in order to go through a tunnel. I was NOT a happy camper and I had to pee.

Thank goodness you're pretty, Vancouver, because that traffic was NOT!

Leaving our obscenities on the road, we finally made it to our hotel and booked it to the "expo" to grab our bags. It wasn't until we got back to our room after dinner that we realized there were no race bibs!

The insanity! How can I run a race without a race bib?!?!

Ok, it ended up being alright, but I was still weirded-out for awhile! I mean, what am I supposed to add to my bib wall?

The next morning, Rebecca and I got ready (read: I peed about 12 times), walked over to the start and said our "good luck!"s before heading to our corrals.

Since I've been doing CrossFit, I have been running a lot faster. Pretty much without even trying, so I had set a lofty goal of a 1:45.00 pr. My previous pr was a 1:52.00 at the More Fitness Half Marathon in Central Park in Spring 2011.

I set out feeling strong like bull. Perhaps too strong. My first two miles were close to 7.00. I always get so excited to start racing and get caught up in the adrenaline flowing through my veins that I can't contain myself. I finally got into a rhythm and started hitting 8 minute miles about mile 4. Of course, around mile 9, I totally started sucking it and my pace fell to 8:20s/30s for the rest of the race.  

I still finished smiling and was definitely happy to get a pr and new, pretty medal!

Rebecca and I eventually found each other and slowly meandered back to the hotel to shower.

 We wandered around Vancouver for the rest of the day and ended up at Nuba for dinner. My stepmom had mentioned Nuba to me when she heard I was headed to Vancouver and said that she and my Dad had LOVED it there. I wasn't planning to make it a necessary dining choice, but when our hotel concierge recommended it as well, Rebecca and I were all over it!

I ordered the Fatoosh salad, which was probably the best I've ever had! I love it when you get more vegetables than just romaine or iceberg lettuce! I also got the Garden Falafel, which had hummus underneath and tahini drizzled on top. It was served with what the waiter said was their "spicy" sauce (hello, delicious) and beet pickled cabbage. I think it took me all of five minutes to finish this and I highly recommend Nuba if you are in Vancouver.

I pretty much went straight back to the hotel and passed out afterwards.

The Seawheeze weekend also had free yoga classes, a free concert and some other really fun things that we just didn't get around the partaking in. Maybe next year?

We drove back to Seattle uneventfully on Sunday and I am excited now to kick New York City Marathon training up a notch!