A few weeks ago Matt and I went to Colorado for the first time. Prior to this trip I’d never been west of Minnesota, so I was pretty excited to see the mountains. Matt had the opportunity to attend and present at a conference in Denver, so I jumped at the chance to go along with him.

Just as it was climbing into the 70s at home, we headed right into a winter storm in Colorado. Luckily it was still raining when our flight landed and we made it to our hotel in downtown Denver before the snow started. Matt had a conference to attend on Saturday, and all I had on my agenda was to run 10 miles. I’m glad I was deep into marathon training during this trip. With 7-12 miles to run every day but one, I got to take in a lot of new scenery.

Our hotel was a little over half a mile from the Cherry Creek Trail, where I did several of my runs. It was perfect – paved, flat, and nearly 40 miles long. One of the nicest features was being able to run continuously through downtown without stopping for traffic. I was relieved to find that the snow had not accumulated and the path was just wet on that first morning.

The Cherry Creek Trail

I took the trail west and joined up with the Platte River Trail, which took me by Mile High Stadium.

Mile High Stadium

I was kind of surprised by the number of homeless people under the overpasses along the trail, but plenty of runners and cyclists were also out despite the poor weather. It was a very wet and snowy run, but a good one.

I didn’t know if I’d react to the change in elevation, but it didn’t affect me at all. At home I typically run somewhere around 700-1,000 feet, and I ran at 5,100-5,300 feet in Denver. All of my runs during the trip were right on target pace-wise, so I was relieved that I never noticed any difference.

One great thing about running on vacation is getting to refuel with hotel breakfasts every day. Eggs, waffles, cereal, etc. I could get used to that!

I’d hoped to go hiking quite a bit during the trip, but the first day wasn’t going to be ideal for that. I decided it was a good day to bundle up and see the downtown. It was very wet and I had snow blowing in my face the whole time, but I still enjoyed it.

Looking down at the Cherry Creek Trail on a very snowy afternoon

I got to see REI’s flagship store, which is huge and awesome. I also checked out the mile-long, pedestrian-friendly 16th Street Mall. It has a ton of shops and restaurants, so I scoped out some good places for us to eat throughout the week.

The sidewalks downtown were just wet all day Saturday despite the constant snow, but the snow had accumulated by Sunday morning. We were lucky that the downtown area didn’t seem to get hit as hard as many of the surrounding areas. I had 10 miles to run that morning and decided to venture out to Denver’s City Park.

Denver’s City Park

This blooming tree thought winter was over

Some sidewalks were in decent shape, but many were not. It was probably one of my sloppier runs this season – in mid-April!

Matt had a free day and we had originally planned to spend the day seeing the Rocky Mountains. We changed our plans when we realized how much snow there was. We decided a short drive to the Denver Zoo might work better for such a messy day.

A snowy Denver Zoo

A few people braved the weather…but not many! Our admission was half off, and I understood why as we walked around and saw that all of the concession areas were closed. We still enjoyed ourselves and the animals did a nice job of posing for some photos.

A sample of animals from the Denver Zoo

Boulder Running Company had a location just down the road from the zoo, so we checked that out next. I was very impressed. The store was huge and seemed to carry any brand I could imagine. They had a lot of things that I only seem to find online.

Matt was back to his conference Monday through Wednesday, so I was on my own for a few days. The weather had settled down by mid-Sunday and I was ready to venture out of the city on Monday. I was curious to see Boulder since I know it’s a hot spot for running.

I headed northwest on the highway out of Denver and my mind was blown as I drove over a peak and saw the mountains for the first time. The view was amazing! I couldn’t help but wonder if people who live there appreciate that view every day or if they’re so used to it that they don’t think twice.

As soon as I got to the park in Boulder, I had to take a picture with the mountains in the background. Though it’s not the most glamorous motel, the scenery sure is awesome.

Foot of the Mountain Motel in Boulder

I was relieved to find that the Boulder Creek Path was snow-free. With eight easy miles on the schedule, I headed out four miles then came back. Most of the run was flat and on a sidewalk that followed Boulder Creek. I passed by some of University of Colorado Boulder’s campus. It was a nice run, but it got better when I turned around and ran back towards the mountains. I loved the view!

Boulder Creek Path

When I finished my run, I drove to Eldorado Canyon State Park for my first hiking adventure of the trip. Although it was snowy, a pretty decent path had been cleared for the first part of my hike. I saw a handful of people during my visit, but I was mostly on my own.

A somewhat clear path through Eldorado Canyon’s Fowler Trail

Eldorado Canyon

The views were breathtaking. After hiking for a bit on one of the easier trails, I ventured to a couple others. I don’t think as many people had made it to those trails because there was a little more snow to walk through.

Eldorado Canyon

Eldorado Canyon

Trekking through lots of snow at Eldorado Canyon

Despite the snow, it was a beautiful day and a nice park to visit.

On Tuesday I started my day with a rainy run on the Cherry Creek Trail. I had a workout of 3×2 miles at 10 seconds under marathon pace, plus I ran two miles to warm up and two to cool down for a total of 11 miles. I was impressed to find that so many people were out before 7am. I realized that a lot of cyclists must use the trail to commute to work.

After my run (and another nice hotel breakfast) I drove to Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The legendary concert venue is open to visitors until 2:00 on days when they have shows. It was amazing, as expected.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Shovelers working hard to clear all of the snow from the seating at Red Rocks Amphitheatre

A view from Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Wednesday was my rest day, so no running. I decided to head to Golden to check out Golden Gate Canyon State Park. The scenic drive was half of the fun. Most of the parks I visited required a lot of driving through winding mountain roads. I was in awe most of the time.

After stopping at the visitor’s center, I started with one of the easier trails. I think fewer people had been on the trails at this park compared to those at Eldorado Canyon. There was a clear path to follow, but I’d take a few steps then one foot would sink way down in the snow. This happened continuously and made for a slow and challenging hike. I came across some women who had snowshoes and realized that was probably more ideal. I was talking to one of the women as we approached a spot where the path seemed to stop, even though we knew we hadn’t made it to the end. It wasn’t clear where the path continued, and as I watched the woman try to snowshoe her way through the deep snow, I knew we were all turning around and heading back.

A snowy path at Golden Gate Canyon State Park

A pretty view at Golden Gate Canyon State Park

I tried a couple other spots in the park but the trails were even more snow-covered, and some spots weren’t cleared at all. It was a pretty park, but it’s probably better to explore with less snow.

So much snow at Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Next I went to Lookout Mountain, also in Golden. It was a very scenic drive through the switchbacks up the mountain. I was impressed by the cyclists riding up the mountain. I saw cyclists throughout our whole trip doing workouts on mountain roads. They are hardcore!

The city of Golden from Lookout Mountain

A view of the mountains from Lookout Mountain in Golden

I got moving early on Thursday morning because I had 12 miles to run, with nine at marathon pace. I went back to Cherry Creek and Platte River Trails for a solid run. Matt was done with his conference and we finally had a chance to explore beyond downtown Denver together for a couple of days. We planned to spend some time at the Rocky Mountains and stopped at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park along the way. It’s the hotel that inspired Stephen King’s The Shining. We didn’t go inside, but it was beautiful outside.

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park didn’t look so intimidating on this beautiful day

We were very lucky that our trip coincided with National Parks Week, which meant free admission! As expected, Rocky Mountain National Park was much busier than any of the other places I had explored during the trip.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

There was plenty of snow that was packed down, sometimes to the point of being too slippery. Bear Lake was covered with snow, so you wouldn’t even know there was a lake there! We spent most of the time hiking to Alberta Falls, taking in the sights along the way.

Rocky Mountain National Park on the way to Alberta Falls

Matt and I by Bear Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park

We had considered hiking to several different spots, but the snow made things challenging and it took a lot longer than we thought. We drove through the park a little bit and stopped a few times for photos, but we knew we had a long drive to Colorado Springs and didn’t want to get there too late. We’re definitely interested in going back to the Rockies in the future. It would be more ideal when the snow has melted and there’s better footing.

We chose a hotel in Colorado Springs that was close to the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail. That turned out to be a good choice. It was nice to get off the pavement and onto a trail made of crushed stone and dirt. I had seven easy miles to run on Friday morning and was lucky enough to have Matt join me for most of it. The elevation reached 6,000 feet there – the highest for any run during the trip. Still, it wasn’t noticeably harder for me than the run would have been at home.

Pikes Peak Greenway Trail in Colorado Springs

Our next stop was the U.S. Olympic Training Center. They had tours starting every hour and I thought it would be a cool place to see. We watched a video at the beginning then took a walking tour of the facilities.

The Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs

The pool at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs

Weights and an indoor track at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs

I was hopeful that maybe we’d see some Olympians training for Rio. Most of the areas were pretty quiet when we walked around. We walked into one area that had a few people running on treadmills behind glass. As I looked, I nearly squealed as I said, “Is that…Shalane? That’s Amy! Oh my gosh!” Shalane Flanagan and Amy Cragg, two of the Americans who will be running the marathon in Rio, were right there in front of us. I had watched the Olympic Trials race on TV when they qualified and knew exactly who they were. They were training in a heat and humidity chamber and getting feedback that will hopefully help when it comes to hydrating properly in Rio.

Olympic marathoners Amy Cragg and Shalane Flanagan at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs

I was a bit giddy for the rest of the day after getting the chance to see them training. We were pretty lucky that we happened to be there on the right day at the right time!

Our last scenic stop of the trip was Garden of the Gods. A stop at the visitor’s center gave us an amazing view.

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs

Finally, a place where we could hike without snow!

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs

Matt photographing the mountains from Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs

Garden of the Gods was fairly busy. We had to bypass a bunch of the parking lots because they were small and full. We stopped at a couple of spots, got in some good sightseeing, then called it good. We had to drive back up to the Denver Airport, return the rental car, then catch a shuttle to our hotel.

During the day I started to toy with the idea of running a double. I’d run seven miles early that morning and I had eight on the schedule the next day. We had to leave the hotel pretty early on Saturday morning and I wasn’t too excited about running on the hotel treadmill. I also didn’t think it would be a great idea to go out alone before the sunrise in an area I didn’t know. I thought it might be better to get the run in that night. Matt was supportive of my idea and even joined me for half of the run. We got out sometime after 6pm and it was a nice, sunny evening. I think it was the first time during the trip that it warmed up enough to wear a t-shirt for the run! Aside from that, it was the least exciting run of the trip. Our hotel was surrounded by nothing but fields of dirt. We had several blocks of hotels with a few restaurants mixed in. At least there were sidewalks and I could still see the mountains off in the distance.

Around and around the hotels

Luckily I felt fine and felt accomplished after running 15 miles that day! I managed to run a total of 66 miles during our time in Colorado. It allowed me to cover a lot of ground and see a bunch of things I’m sure I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. It was pretty nice to be on a vacation where I could concentrate on getting some good runs in, then keep my legs loose by walking around canyons and mountains the rest of the day. I sure could get used to that kind of lifestyle.

However, it’s back to reality now. We enjoyed our first trip to Colorado and definitely want to go back…hopefully when there’s less snow. I’m about three weeks out from the Bayshore Marathon now and feeling strong. This Sunday I’ll run my first race of the year – the Borgess Half Marathon in Kalamazoo. It was my first (and fourth) half marathon. I’m not tapering at all and I know I should NOT “race” it. I have 16 miles on the schedule that day and plan to use the race to get through most of those miles. I’m looking forward to getting back to the racing environment and getting some practice in before the marathon!

– Janet

Follow me on Twitter @reidphotography.com and Instagram @janetboltz

Now that I’ve completed the first seven weeks of training for the Bayshore Marathon, I figured it was time to write an update. It’s my first time following the Hansons Marathon Method and so far so good. I have followed the schedule 100% so far, though my weekly mileage sometimes comes in a mile or two short of what’s listed above if I skimp on the cool down following speed or tempo runs.

One of the major differences in following the Hansons plan is the lack of short runs. Six miles is my shortest run until the week before the race. With Higdon’s plan, I was used to plenty of three and four mile runs. Another difference is that Higdon makes Friday the rest day while Wednesday is off for Hansons. I was a bit wary of running six or seven miles on Friday nights followed by six to ten miles the following morning. It hasn’t been a problem though and I’m sure keeping my pace easy is a critical part of that. Three or four days a week I’m supposed to run slow and easy – 9:00-10:00 pace for me. Sometimes I have to work to slow myself down because I naturally feel like going faster. I’m usually right on the edge of that 9:00 pace. The treadmill has been especially helpful when it comes to slowing down. After all, I can only go as fast as the pace I select! I think being disciplined about it keeps me from getting injured.

I’ve felt great aside from pain in my left heel that popped up at the beginning of the year (while I was still building a base before training began.) All of the symptoms suggest it’s probably plantar fasciitis. Luckily it doesn’t bother me much while I run, but it can be painful first thing in the morning and at moments during the day. I’m reading up on it and hoping to keep it from getting worse, but it hasn’t gotten any better.

I’ve spent a lot of time on the treadmill the last couple months. It’s been a savior when it comes to my Tuesday speed workouts. The track is the ideal place for me to run repeats at 5K pace, but when it’s super cold during the winter and the track is covered with snow, it’s not really an option. The treadmill can feel like the easy way out because I don’t have to look at my watch to make sure I stick to my pace. I select the pace on the treadmill and it’s just a matter of hanging on!

Week 6’s 4×1200 workout was the first one that nearly broke me. Somehow I made it through, but it was brutal by the end. This past week I finally got out on the track for the first time in months. The 400-800-1200-1600-1200-800-400 ladder workout was another tough one. The last 1200 and 800 were especially nasty, but I still managed. I really hated 5K pace by the end of that workout. I only have three more weeks of workouts at 5K pace, and I’m definitely looking forward to the more endurance-oriented strength workouts that are ten seconds below marathon pace.

A photo Matt took of me on the track last Tuesday.

Though it sure hurt struggling through the ladder workout, I was thankful I had this pretty view to distract me.

I’ve spent a good amount of time on the treadmill this winter, but I do get outside plenty too. I’m thankful for Stony Creek Metropark because the 6-mile path is always cleared.

Snow-free.

A pretty view at Stony.

This winter actually hasn’t been too bad. When we’ve gotten snow, sometimes we’ve been lucky enough to have it melt a few days later. I’ve been able to get out on the dirt roads several times without worrying about icy patches. The dirt roads are scenic, peaceful, and a nice change from pounding the pavement.

Sights from a run in Oakland Township.

Spectators.

We’ve had a number of spring-like days recently which can make for some beautiful scenery. Getting out to explore is one of my favorite parts of marathon training. Here are a few shots from recent runs.

Indian Springs Metropark has a nice 8-mile path.

It was an awesome day at Indian Springs.

Sometimes it feels like I’m in a fairy tale when I explore Stony Creek Metropark’s trails.

A peaceful run through the woods at Stony Creek.

I’ve had some really nice evening runs where I get to watch the sun set, but I’m excited to finish my runs in the daylight now that we’ve “sprung forward.”

Rochester Municipal Park.

A nice view at the end of a marathon pace run around Stony.

I’m going all-in with this Hansons plan and I’m curious to see what it does for me. I’m not doing any triathlon training at this point. I still hope to participate in some triathlons this summer, but it may be more for fun rather than really pushing myself. I make sure to get to the gym for a weights session once or twice a week, but otherwise it’s all about running right now. The first seven weeks of training have been successful, and I hope the same goes for the next 11 weeks.

– Janet
Follow me on Twitter @reidphotography

When I look back at another year of running and racing, qualifying for Boston (in 2017) at the Twin Cities Marathon stands out as one of the biggest highlights. However, when I look beyond that, I realize that I had a successful year all around. I broke 1:40 for a new half marathon PR at the Glass City Half Marathon in April. I knew I hadn’t lived up to my potential in the 10K, so I followed a 10K-specific workout plan for the first time. That led to a PR at the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival 10K in early June, which was followed by a bigger improvement a couple weeks later at the Corporate Cup 10K. I only ended up doing two triathlons this summer, but they were good ones. July’s Olympic-distance triathlon in Caseville was my second time racing the distance, and I improved my time by 12 minutes. It was definitely a solid year of racing!

A collection of t-shirts from this year’s races.

A couple weeks before the end of the year I realized I was awfully close to running 1,600 miles for the year. Since I like even numbers, I decided it would be a nice goal to hit. That’s about 250 more miles than my previous highest year.

Stats for the year. I spent a lot of time running!

Here are some other numbers:

• I biked 1,370 miles
• I swam a little over 32 miles
• I did 12 races:  five 5Ks, two 10Ks, one 10-mile, one half marathon, one full marathon, one sprint triathlon, and one Olympic triathlon

Even though 2015 was a great year, there’s always something new to strive for. As soon as I finished the Twin Cities Marathon, I was anxious to run another marathon. I was thrilled that I got my BQ, but I also felt like there was room for improvement. I trained for a 3:30 marathon and ran 3:34. I was on track until I fell apart the last few miles. My main goal for 2016 is to see if I can “figure out” the marathon and work out some of the kinks. It may be a matter of fueling better, training for the fatigue of the last few miles, or a combination of both. I’ve toyed with the idea of following the Hansons Marathon Method for years, and I think I’ll finally give it a try. Their concept of “cumulative fatigue” should prepare me for the later miles of the race. I’ve used their speed and strength workouts during training, but have always mixed them into another training plan rather than following their whole plan. I’m curious to see if it will help.

Marathon #3 will be Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City at the end of May. I ran the half marathon in 2012 so I know that it’s a beautiful race. Rather than concentrating on a time goal, my biggest hope is to finish strong. If I can do that, of course my time should improve as well. I’ve trained through the winter for half marathons, but never for a full marathon. Getting that many miles in during the winter should be interesting!

I love running the most, but I keep saying that I want to do more triathlons too. Bayshore is going to be my priority for the first half of the year, then I’ll take it from there. I probably won’t be biking or swimming much (or at all) until after the marathon. That doesn’t leave much time to build up a base in those areas for summer races. Based on past experience, marathons wreck my left IT band and it can take some time to get back to running pain-free. Hopefully I can start to build up in June and get to some tris in July and August. It’s a bit overwhelming to think that far ahead right now, so running a solid race at Bayshore is my primary goal.

I’m hoping 2016 is as good or even better than 2015!

– Janet

Follow me on Twitter @reidphotography
Follow me on Instagram @janetboltz

Matt and I went to Grand Blanc, MI to run the Chocolate 5K on Saturday, November 21st…the day when we happened to get the first major snow storm of the season. Perfect timing. I typically wait until the last second to sign up for races this time of year. It was still in the 60s and beautiful outside when I decided to register before the price jumped. Snow was not on my radar at that point and I was tempted by the cool shirt and promise of chocolate. I was harshly reminded how quickly the weather can change in Michigan. Honestly, it’s a good thing that I committed early. Had we waited until the last minute, we probably wouldn’t have gone and we would have missed out on a fun morning.

We ran this race in 2012 and knew we could expect a good time. You really can’t beat it – $20 for a long sleeve tech shirt, a flat course, and a ton of chocolate goodies after the race. I’d pay $20 for the shirt alone! I was especially happy when I found out they were high-quality New Balance shirts.

How cool is this Wonka-esque shirt?

We’d heard all the hype about snow coming, so I was relieved that I didn’t see any when I woke up the morning of the race. It had started to accumulate a little on the grass by the time we left home though.

Grand Blanc High School is a great location for the race. It has a huge parking lot, large bathrooms, and plenty of space for people to stay warm beforehand.

It was snowing pretty steadily when it was time for the race to start, but we were lucky that it wasn’t sticking to the streets.

One positive is that the streets were just wet.

The race had 450 runners and around 120 walkers, so it was a pretty decent crowd. There was a gun start and chip finish. Though I was close to the front, maybe I should have moved up a little more. I got boxed in at times early on and did a bit of weaving to get around people, but things spread out soon enough. We ran on one of the main roads to start then spent the majority of the race running through a neighborhood.

I’m basically in maintenance mode at this point of the year and not doing much structured speed training, so I wasn’t looking to “race” this one. I wasn’t too excited to have snow blowing in my face and really didn’t care what my time was, but still tried to put in some decent effort. I kept telling myself that it was all worth it for the shirt and the chocolate fountain waiting at the end.

My official time was 23:23, which is almost two minutes off of my PR.

My splits.

Matt and I didn’t linger at the finish line – we headed back to the school immediately. We had to walk for several minutes and cross a main road to get back to the school. We were anxious to get inside where it was warm and get to the chocolate!

You can see the snow blowing in front of Matt as it started to accumulate.

The post-race goodies were set up in a gym, and we had hustled back fast enough to avoid the crowd. There were several stations set up.

Melted fudge for dipping marshmallows, pretzels, and Nilla Wafers.

An assortment of candy.

The chocolate fountain with strawberries, potato chips, pretzels, animal crackers, and candy canes for dipping.

We sat on the floor to enjoy our treats as the crowd began to grow.

At some point there was an announcement that people could collect their awards, so we headed out to the lobby to see how we had placed. Matt had missed third in his age group by less than a second, and I was surprised to see my name at the top of my age group. I love that this race lets you collect the awards when you’re ready rather than waiting through a long ceremony. When I told the volunteers how I had placed, they gave me a couple treats.

Fudge, salt water taffy, and a chocolate turkey. I’ll take that kind of prize over a medal or plaque any day!

Knowing that the snow wasn’t stopping and that we had a 40-mile drive home, we headed out as soon as I got my award. Good thing we did, because the road conditions were starting to get iffy. We didn’t go much faster than 50-something on the highway and saw several cars in the ditch. Luckily, we made it home safely.

As we drove through our neighborhood, I loved how beautiful the snow-covered trees looked. I had to take a quick walk down to the Paint Creek Trail to scope it out.

It’s hard to believe that it was 60 degrees a few days earlier.

I was thankful that we didn’t have any other plans for the day, so we settled in and stayed warm while 12+ inches of snow piled up throughout the day.

Although the weather tends to be questionable for this race most years, it’s definitely a good one and I’m glad we did it.

– Janet

Follow me on Twitter @reidphotography

Matt and I enjoy supporting the Oakland University volleyball team, so when we saw that they were going to play at Cleveland State University on a Saturday, it sparked the idea of taking a weekend road trip. I was curious if I could find any good races in Ohio the day after the game. The one that stood out the most was the GALlop for Children 5K at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The race was only $20 and included a long sleeve tech shirt and admission to the zoo. It also benefited a good cause – the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Project. GALs for the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court are appointed to represent the best interests of children involved in abuse, neglect, and a variety of other situations. We thought it would be nice to support the cause and visit a zoo we’d never been to.

Posing by the flamingos before the race.

The race took place on Sunday, November 8th, and it was a beautiful, crisp morning. The parking lot wasn’t very full when we got there 45 minutes before the start. I had looked for info about the race and it didn’t look like a huge event – a little over 100 people had run last year. I couldn’t find any info about the race route though. Matt and I have run two races at zoos. The Cheetah Chase at Battle Creek’s Binder Park Zoo took us through part of the zoo, while Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo took us through the neighborhoods outside the zoo. After checking in, I asked a volunteer where the race started. I was excited to find out that we would actually run through the zoo.

The pavilion was used for packet pickup, post-race snacks, and awards.

The race’s tech shirt.

A closer look at the logo on the shirt.

We lingered near the start and found out that the half-mile kids’ run started first. A small group ran a quarter mile down the path and back. When everyone returned, the 5K runners were gathered and taken a short way down the path for the start.  A rock at the side seemed to mark the starting line. Our bibs didn’t have timing chips, so Matt and I lined up at the front.

Where the race started.

A golf cart led the runners, and soon enough it was out of my view and I just followed the people in front of me. We hit a gradual hill fairly early and a more significant hill came a bit after that. I saw a few interesting birds and a horse-like animal, but didn’t see as many animals as I had hoped while running. Although the uphill portions slowed me down, a long downhill stretch had me flying enough to make up for it. We came back around to the start for another loop, but luckily the route was a little different and we didn’t have to climb the bigger hill a second time. We didn’t get the major downhill stretch either, but still had a nice downhill segment leading to the finish.

I treated this run as a fun run with some effort rather than an all-out race. I ended up with a nice negative split, finishing around 30-40 seconds slower than my PR. I was pleasantly surprised by that, and I was also a little bit faster than the 5K we ran at GVSU a couple weeks earlier. I think the downhills must have really helped my time.

Our route through the zoo.

My splits. I was happy that I sped up as I went.

I was able to catch a photo of Matt as he finished.

They had told us at the start of the race that cookies would be waiting at the end, and they weren’t kidding. I had no idea how awesome the post-race spread would be. They had bottles of water, hot chocolate, coffee, apples, bananas…and cookies galore! They had over 20 varieties of homemade cookies and I was in heaven.

Just a few of the many post-race cookies.

Nearly an hour and a half after the start of the race, they finally got around to awards. Matt was second in his age group and I was third in mine, so we each received something.

Matt with his award.

A closer look at my award.

Next, we took advantage of our admission to the zoo and walked around for a couple hours. Some areas were closed and we didn’t even try to get to everything, but we saw some fun stuff.

A beautiful boardwalk.

A beautiful lorikeet.

A sleepy monkey.

A sleepy koala.

An entertaining lion.

Between watching OU’s volleyball team beat Cleveland State, running the 5K, then enjoying the zoo, we had a fun, action-packed weekend.

– Janet
Follow me on Twitter @reidphotography

On Saturday, October 24th, Matt and I made the trek out to Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI to run the Laker Homecoming 5K. Matt received his bachelor’s degree from GVSU and had been interested in running this race in the past, so we finally made it work. Matt signed up online a few days before the race, but I held off.

It had been three weeks since the Twin Cities Marathon and my recovery status was still a bit questionable. My first few post-marathon runs were not great. I ran a few miles six days after the marathon and felt my hamstring from the start. IT band/knee pain hit after two miles and shut me down shortly after that. IT band issues became a problem for me following my first marathon, so I wasn’t surprised that it happened again after my second marathon. I got a massage and tried running again a couple days later, but the same thing happened. I realized I needed more recovery time and took six more days off. My hamstring didn’t bother me much during runs after that, but knee pain still made it hard to get past three or four miles. I kept doing squats, lunges, and other hip/glute exercises in hopes of shaking the issue, and finally ran five pain-free miles 18 days after the marathon. That run made me feel like I could handle a 5K a couple days later, so I decided to sign up in person the day of the race.

The 10:00 a.m. start made it doable to make the 2.5-hour drive the morning of the race, but it meant leaving home at 6:30. When we got to the campus, we went into the Kelly Family Sports Center for registration/packet pickup. The building features an indoor turf field surrounded by a track. It’s a really nice facility.

Inside the Kelly Family Sports Center.

Posing near the finish line before the start of the race.

The race started in the street outside of the building. With a gun start, Matt and I made sure to start near the front of the crowd of nearly 300 runners.

People gathering near the start.

Matt, me, and another happy dude waiting for the start.

Despite a little wind in spots, we were pretty lucky weather-wise as the rain held off and it was around 60 degrees. The course was almost entirely flat and took us through the campus, which was especially pretty with all of the fall colors.

One of the buildings we saw as we ran through the campus.

We ran by this clock tower during the race too.

I really didn’t know how to pace myself. I knew I shouldn’t run all-out a few weeks following the marathon. It had been two months since I had done any 5K-pace speedwork. I figured I might aim for half marathon pace. That lasted for the first mile as I gradually sped up through the race. Matt and I ran near each other most of the time, and I felt pretty good for the first couple miles. As I pushed the pace, I started to feel it during the last mile. With a little over a quarter mile left, I passed a guy. As I did, I heard him say, “Oh God.” His pace suddenly picked up and he sped off. Apparently he didn’t want to get passed by a girl. If that’s what it took to motivate him to finish strong, I’m glad I could help…I guess.

The race finished with a partial loop around the indoor track. I finished in 22:28, which is about a minute slower than my PR. It’s probably faster than I should have gone, but it seemed to work out just fine. Although I was winded at the end, my hamstring and knee were fine – nothing hurt. Hopefully that means I’m pretty much recovered from the marathon.

After grabbing a bottle of water, I headed to the locker room to shower since we planned to hang out on the campus all day. When I saw the results, I was listed as the ninth female and second in my age group. Age group awards were only given to those who placed first. I didn’t get one of the cotton shirts since I had registered in person, but Matt got one.

“Once Upon a Laker” was the homecoming theme.

We enjoyed the post-race pancake breakfast with a couple of Matt’s friends from college, then hung out with them for a few hours as we hit some spots around campus. It poured for a while, so we were really lucky that it held off during the race. When the rain stopped, I wanted to grab some quick photos in the arboretum. It was absolutely beautiful.

The fall colors looked great despite the dreary day.

A pretty spot in GVSU’s arboretum.

We took in a women’s volleyball game with Matt’s parents and went out to dinner together, then Matt and I drove to our hotel in Grand Haven. With beautiful weather forecasted for the following day, we wanted to check out the fall colors in the area. Here are a few highlights:

Rosy Mound Natural Area in Grand Haven.

One of my favorite photos from the day – Rosy Mound Natural Area.

Hemlock Crossing in West Olive, south of Grand Haven.

Another from Hemlock Crossing.

Between the race, homecoming activities, seeing family/friends, and taking in some fall colors, we had a really nice weekend trip to the west side of the state.

– Janet

Follow me on Twitter @reidphotography

Marathon #2 – the one where I qualified for Boston!

Obviously things went well in Minnesota, but I’ll start at the beginning. Back in March, Matt and I committed to the Twin Cities Marathon – the second marathon for each of us. We’ve been to Minneapolis a number of times and love the city, so it was an easy decision to choose “the most beautiful urban marathon in America.” I followed Hal Higdon’s Advanced 2 training plan for the most part, but substituted his Tuesday workouts with the speed/strength workouts from the Hansons Marathon Method book. When I determined that my goal pace was 8:00 per mile, I realized that would set me up to run a 3:30 marathon. With a Boston-qualifying time of 3:40 for my age group, I knew that getting my BQ was a very realistic possibility, so I made it one of my top goals for the race.

The race took place on Sunday, October 4th, and Matt and I flew from Detroit to Minneapolis/St. Paul on Friday the 2nd. One thing we love about the Twin Cities is the light rail system. We were able to get from the airport to our hotel and everywhere else without renting a car. We stayed at a Hyatt that was two blocks from the starting line and it was definitely ideal for us. There was a discounted rate for marathon participants, the room was quiet, had a big living room area with a fridge, and was only a few blocks away from the light rail system.

Downtown Minneapolis is beautiful.

We took the light rail out to St. Paul for the expo on Friday afternoon. We spent more time there than we had planned because there was so much stuff to look at.

A very nice expo.

I loved the Brooks booth and the cool cotton shirt Matt bought.

Too funny.

On Saturday morning we went for a quick two-mile shake out jog around the city, then took the light rail to the Mall of America. We’ve been to the mall several times and knew that it could be easy to spend half the day there if we weren’t careful. We made sure to target a few specific stores so we wouldn’t be on our feet too long.

Matt with Dora the Explorer at Nickelodeon Universe – the theme park in the middle of the mall.

The mall has a store dedicated to Peeps and every Mike & Ike flavor you can imagine.

We had a big lunch at Noodles and Company, then headed back to the hotel to rest our legs. We weren’t very hungry when dinnertime rolled around, but I knew I should eat something else. I thought a sandwich from Jimmy John’s or Subway might be good, yet every location near our hotel was closed by 6:00! Luckily our hotel had some decent pre-packaged sandwiches to choose from, so Matt and I split one of those and a huge blueberry muffin to get a few more carbs before bed. As expected, I didn’t sleep very well. I woke up pretty much every hour.

We woke up for good around 6:00, and I had a Picky Bar and water for breakfast. Our room’s window overlooked the starting line and the people starting to gather. It was nice that we could stay warm and have access to our own bathroom! With an 8:00 start time, I thought we might be pushing our luck not leaving the room until 7:45. Everything worked out perfectly though. We warmed up by jogging the couple of blocks to our corral. The starting corrals and gear check areas were extremely organized, making it easy for us to pull off our last minute arrival.

This map made it easy to know exactly where to go.

We got into Corral 1 easily and still had time to kill – picture time!

Matt and I at the start.

What a beautiful view.

It was in the low 40s to start, sunny, and there was little wind. We really lucked out! I was comfortable in a t-shirt and shorts, and kept gloves on for the first few miles. I saw the 3:25 and 3:35 pace groups, but didn’t see 3:30. We stood somewhere in between to start. I really wasn’t nervous – I was excited. Matt and I stuck together for the first mile or so, taking in the great sights of downtown – skyscrapers, theaters, concert venues, and the ringing bells of the Basilica of Saint Mary. Congestion wasn’t a problem and I was happy and upbeat. Matt and I had different goals for the race, so we parted ways and wished each other good luck. After a few miles, we reached the chain of lakes. This is definitely where the “most beautiful urban marathon in America” part really comes into play. Captured from Google Maps, here are a couple of photos that show where we got to run.

As if the beautiful scenery wasn’t enough, the crowd support was amazing. I was blown away by how many spectators lined the course. They kept me entertained and distracted. It was fun to look at all of the signs, and a couple stood out as favorites:

“If Donald Trump can make it to the primaries, you can make it to the Capitol.”

“I tried running once. (Picture of Grumpy Cat) It was terrible.”

I usually think that crowd support is nice but not necessary for me to enjoy a race. After this race, I might think differently. That crowd definitely boosted my spirits and made me smile. Whenever I hit stretches without spectators, it gave me time to think…which wasn’t always a good thing! Much of the course was flat, and I rolled along feeling great. Whenever I did hit a hill early on, it was fairly minor and kind of nice to change things up for my leg muscles. I didn’t pay much attention to my watch early in the race. I ran at a pace that felt comfortable and glanced down from time to time to see my splits. I guess I got a good feel for my pace during training, because I naturally ran somewhere between 7:50-8:00 per mile. I wore a hydration belt with water in one bottle and GU Brew in another bottle. I grabbed water at a few stops because I figured my bottles alone wouldn’t get me through the whole race. My Zoot triathlon shorts with side pockets worked great for nutrition storage. I ate five Honey Stinger Energy Chews around miles 5, 10, 15, and 19.

Things were all good for over half of the race. At a certain point, I started to feel the outside of my left knee. I hoped IT band issues wouldn’t become a problem. In addition, I started to feel my left hamstring and both calves. My muscles were definitely working hard. When I crossed the Mississippi River and reached Summit Avenue in St. Paul, that’s when things started to fall apart. I looked at my watch more often, counting down the remaining distance. I kept telling myself things like, “Just a 10K pace run left.” I knew that miles 20-23 would be tough because of a steady climb. I first broke around 21.5 miles after reaching the peak of one hill. I decided it would be best if I took a brief walk break – maybe only 10 seconds or so. I kept trucking along, but had to take another quick walk break after 23 miles. Another came after 25. I still managed to keep my pace in the 8:40s for the most part despite the brief breaks, but it’s clear from my splits that things went bad from 22 miles on. It was a struggle. My hamstrings and calves were wiped out. I wasn’t smiling anymore!

Based on my first marathon, I figured I’d end up running closer to 26.5 rather than 26.2. As much as I try to run the tangents, it can be hard when the streets are so wide and there are people to weave around. I knew that extra bit would add a couple minutes to my time, but I also knew that even if I hit a 9:00 pace for the last couple miles, I’d finish in at least 3:35. With a BQ time of 3:40, I was still on track. Eventually I made it to the final half mile, which was basically all downhill – in a good way! I came up to the 3:35 pacer who encouraged everyone to finish ahead of him. That downhill was a savior. I finished mile 26 in 8:38, but suddenly dropped to a 7:26 pace for the last half mile! Rather than stumbling across the finish line, I felt like I was flying. What a great way to end the race. I think every marathon should end down a hill!

Crossing the finish line!

My official finish time was 3:34:01 – eight minutes faster than my first marathon, and 5:59 under my BQ time! It sunk in and emotions got to me for a second when a volunteer put the medal around my neck. I really did it – I finished my second marathon and did it fast enough to make it to Boston! Here’s how the race played out for me, mile by mile:

I walked around for a few minutes and stretched my hamstrings and calves. After my first marathon, all I could think about was how much I hurt. Despite struggling through the final miles of this race, I actually felt okay when I was done. I drank some Powerade and chocolate milk. I ate a roll, but my mouth didn’t feel great trying to chew it. I also got a bag of potato chips.

The finish area.

After recovering for a few minutes, I had to check my phone to see how Matt was doing. His dad was so supportive and tracked both of us. He had already sent a congratulatory text to me. Matt had struggled with breathing problems and low energy the entire training segment, and his dad told me that Matt had crashed around 20 miles with breathing problems. By that time, he had just passed the 24-mile mark. I kept checking my phone, then got the text from the race tracker saying that he had finished. I rushed back towards the finish line to find him. We hugged and both of us got a bit emotional. He was excited that I had gotten my BQ, and I was excited that he toughed it out and finished the marathon. I knew it had to be a struggle for him, but he did it.

The Capitol building (under construction) in the background.

We collected some refreshments for Matt, then headed to gear check so we could get into some warmer clothes. Next, we picked up our finisher shirts. One fun thing about the Twin Cities Marathon is that they keep their medals and finisher shirts secret so people are surprised on race day. You have to actually finish the race to earn the shirt. I wasn’t thrilled when I saw that the shirt was white. White is not my favorite color since it tends to be see-through. Oh well. I do really like how they cleverly used the “15” in “finisher.” At the very least, Matt and I had both ordered training shirts when we signed up for the marathon, so I already wear that shirt a lot.

The official race shirt.

Training shirts.

We got our free beers and hung out for a few more minutes.

Eventually we knew we should head back to Minneapolis and get something to eat. My head started to feel funny, almost dizzy-like, and I realized later that I probably should have eaten more than a roll and a bag of chips. Nearly two hours had passed since I had finished. We had a nice big meal at an Irish Pub and I felt a lot better. Knee/IT band pain kicked in and left me limping a bit, but nothing like after my first marathon. I actually felt pretty good! That all changed by the next morning, when the true soreness kicked in. It was a slow walk through the airport on Monday! I was sore for a couple days after the race, but pretty much normal again by Thursday.

Matt and I both absolutely loved our Twin Cities experience. Aside from struggling through the late miles on Summit Avenue, everything was amazing. I highly recommend this race. While it took a couple years in between for me to get around to running my second marathon, this one immediately left me anxious to go run another one. At the very least, it looks like I’ll have to plan on heading to Boston in 2017!

– Janet

Follow me on Twitter @reidphotography

The Crim is a legendary race in Flint, Michigan that draws somewhere around 10,000 participants between the 5K, 8K, and 10-mile races. A Michigan Mile race also occurs the night before. It seems like nearly every serious local runner I know has participated, yet Matt and I had never gotten around to it. When someone at work asked if I wanted to sign up for the 10-mile race as part of a group to get a discount, it gave us an extra boost to finally commit.

The race took place on Saturday, August 22nd and we lucked out with a beautiful day. It had been hot and humid in the days leading up to the race, so we were very fortunate to have a partly cloudy morning in the 60s.

Downtown Flint looked beautiful the morning of the race.

Because the race is so big and the roads close at least an hour before the start, I knew we needed to get there extra early. We left the house at 5:45 for the 45-minute drive to Flint. We were able to park in a huge lot on the campus of University of Michigan-Flint just after 6:30. Had we gotten there 10 minutes later, things could have been much more stressful. Even though the roads were still open and the lot had a ton of empty spaces, security blocked all of the entrances. I’m relieved that we got there when we did so we didn’t have to scramble like so many other people who had planned to use the parking lot.

We had plenty of time to kill, so we walked around a bit and took in the atmosphere. Matt went to the expo the day before to pick up our packets, but it was also open from 7-12 the day of the race. Bauman’s Running Store was there and I saw some good stuff, so we decided to stop by again after the race.

We scoped out the starting line while things were still quiet.

Matt and I got a picture on the famous bricks an hour before the start.

We had access to the MLive building before and after the race since I was a part of the Team Challenge through work. Private restrooms were supposed to be one of the perks, but there was a long enough line before and after the race that we ended up using porta-potties anyway.

About 15 minutes before everyone else, members of the Crim 30-Year Club started the 10-mile race. Men and women who have completed 30 or more Crim 10-mile races are a part of the special club. Following their start, I jogged around for about half a mile to warm up before entering my corral. One thing I really loved about this race was the corral system. People were placed based on their estimated finish times, and separate waves were released every couple minutes. This was a great way to avoid congestion problems in a race with nearly 7,000 people. I would love to see more large races use this method.

Waiting in my corral.

The Twin Cities Marathon in October is my goal race right now, so I did not plan to race all-out. I purposely started easy and finished hard, but didn’t try to hit a specific pace. I hoped to average at least 7:45 per mile if I felt good, but I really just ran by feel.

I had heard that the whole city of Flint comes out to support this race. It was awesome to see so many people along the course and cheering in front of their houses. Aside from the official course entertainment (bands, cheer teams, etc.), I saw a woman bouncing on a mini trampoline, people with a beer stop, “Champagne Corner,” two little boys in superhero pajamas, Gumby handing out water, and much more. I enjoyed running by the University of Michigan-Flint’s campus, Kettering University, frat houses, and some really nice houses across from a golf course. I loved seeing the 30-year runners on the course. It was great to hear them receiving congratulations and so much encouragement from the other runners. Many of them had special things written on the backs of their shirts. I especially liked the guy with “Crim 35 year runner – slowing down at 86” on his shirt. There was always something to see along the course. It was a great environment that made the miles go by quickly. I don’t mind running races that don’t have spectators, but when the course support is there, I realize how much more fun it is.

The Bradley Hills, which come between miles five and six, receive a lot of attention. The race even sets up timing mats to identify the “king and queen” of the hills. The elevation map makes it look like the hills go on for nearly a mile.

There were a couple of decent climbs, but after so much hype, I was actually pleasantly surprised that they weren’t as bad as I thought they’d be. It seemed like the worst of it was over pretty quickly and didn’t really affect my pace. What I didn’t realize is that so much of the course would be rolling after that. I thought it would be pretty flat and a breeze through the end, but that was not the case. The rolling hills don’t seem to be apparent on the elevation map, but I sure felt them. Every time I thought I’d pick up the pace, it seemed like another gradual climb was ahead that would cause me to hold back. However, I try to tell myself that running downhill helps me more than running uphill hurts me, so it balanced out.

I still felt good as I got to the last couple miles, so I decided it was time to pick up the pace. After I rounded the last corner before the finish, I pushed as hard as I could for the final quarter mile. The brick road isn’t the easiest surface to finish on, so I was careful about my footing as I booked it to the end.

My splits.

My official time was an even 1:16:00. I thought it was kind of fun that I hit it right on the dot!

Right after the finish, we got our medals and walked by tents with water, chocolate milk, cereal bars, bananas, and popsicles.

The medal.

After the finish line.

The official post-race area had even more. We got some Timbits from Tim Hortons and some orange drink from McDonald’s. I also stopped for a picture with Ronald McDonald.

I couldn’t resist.

Our bibs had tickets for pizza and beer, so we got those next. Eventually we worked our way back to the MLive building for the Team Challenge after party. There was plenty of food there as well, and I ended up with some watermelon, a brownie, and some cookies. It was nice to have an air conditioned place to sit, and we didn’t even realize at first that they had a tent out back with a dance party!

The Team Challenge after party.

A tent and dancing out back.

We hit the expo before we left, where I found a couple of fun shirts and got some shoes for $10 off.

A shirt from Bauman’s.

A cute Flintstones shirt that refers to the bricks at the start and finish of the race.

The women’s version of the official race shirt kind of reminds me of hospital scrubs.

Now that I’ve finally run the Crim, I understand why it’s such a big event. We had a great time and definitely hope to return in the future.

– Janet
Follow me on Twitter @reidphotography

P.S. – A couple months after the race I received a Made in Michigan award for being a Michigan resident with a finish time in the top third of my age group among the nation’s 10-mile racers. It was awarded to around 1,000 runners from Michigan. I was able to pick it up at a local running store. I’m not sure it works as intended. I believe the race medal is supposed to fit inside, but it won’t stay there if the ribbon is attached. Even if I can’t really attach it to the medal, it’s still a pretty cool thing to have and it’s on display on a shelf.

Training for the Twin Cities Marathon began on June 1st, and now I’m less than two months out from running my second marathon. Hal Higdon’s training plan worked well for me when I ran the Grand Rapids Marathon in 2013, so I’m using one of his plans again. I’ve made some tweaks though, substituting his Tuesday workouts with those from the Hansons’ plan. Higdon rotates between tempo runs, hill repeats, and 800s on Tuesdays. I wanted something different this time and believe the Hansons’ workouts will give me some variety and make me stronger. I’m still not ready to commit to following their plan for the marathon, though I’ve considered trying it in the future.

The marathon training plan I’ve been following.

As I typically do, I adjust my training when necessary and haven’t followed the plan shown above 100% of the time. When I created the schedule, I adjusted the Tuesday workouts for the first four weeks so I could concentrate on 10K-specific speedwork before racing the Corporate Cup 10K. I took a week off from speed following that race before starting up with the Hansons’ speed segment of the plan. The speed segment had me running repeats at a 7:00 pace, which is just a hair slower than my best 5K pace. I went to the track a few times and hit the treadmill a couple times when it was ridiculously hot outside. Between the heat and the lack of traction on loose stones, I couldn’t successfully pull off 5K speed on the trail. I’ve been using the Paint Creek Trail for many of my other runs though.

I love living so close to the Paint Creek Trail.

This week I began the “strength” segment of the Hansons’ workouts – repeats of 1-3 miles at a time at a pace 10 seconds faster than marathon pace. In addition to Higdon’s pace runs, I think these workouts will be extremely valuable when it comes to building race pace endurance. Getting through a workout of 6×1 mile at a 7:50 pace wasn’t a breeze, but I definitely felt strong after I finished.

The marathon pace runs I have done on weekends have gone really well so far. Last weekend I ran nine miles just under an 8:00 pace and felt great. I felt even better about my training when I followed up with 19 solid miles the next day. So far so good! My best long runs have been those that I’ve done very early in the morning. Sleeping in sure would be nice, but I know that the heat and sun drag me down when I start my runs too late in the morning. I’ve been heading out the door by 6:30 nearly every weekend morning and I love how peaceful it is at that time of day. I get motivated to run because I wonder how things will look in the early morning light. We live in an area that can be very busy and congested, but there are dirt roads and farmland just a few miles away. It’s like a whole different world, and I’ve enjoyed exploring some of those areas during my long runs.

It’s worthwhile to wake up so early when I see sights like this.

Seen on my run.

In order to figure out my goal marathon pace, I entered my Glass City Half Marathon time into Greg McMillan’s calculator. It told me that I could aim for an 8:00 pace and run the marathon in about 3:30. Even if I’m a few minutes off, it looks like I might have the potential to qualify for Boston. I’ve moved into a new age group since I last ran a marathon, and now my qualifying time is 3:40. Since I’m training for 3:30, of course I should try to be confident that I will hit that time. The realistic side of me knows that the marathon is quite a monster, and with only one under my belt, I still don’t know what to expect. I was about seven minutes off of my goal time in my first marathon, which I finished in 3:42. I’ve gotten faster since then, so I’m hopeful that I can at least pull off a 3:35. Hopefully that would give me enough of a buffer to get into Boston, knowing that people typically have to be a few minutes under the qualifying time to actually make it in. When I realized I might be on the verge of qualifying, I decided I had to order the Boston “Lobster Launch” shoes from Brooks to help motivate me. The Launch is probably my favorite shoe, and I couldn’t resist when I saw this special edition design.

Motivation to qualify for Boston!

In a couple weeks I’m going to run the Crim 10 Mile Race for my first time. It’s a huge race for this area and pretty much every runner I know has run it, so it’s finally time to give it a try. I don’t plan on truly racing, but I’ll probably give it a good effort. In the meantime, this weekend is my first of three 20-milers. With 10 miles to run the other day, it will be a 30-mile weekend. I plan on eating a LOT this weekend!

– Janet
Follow me on Twitter @reidphotography

The Shermanator was my second triathlon of the season and took place on Saturday, August 1st. Although it makes me think of the character from the American Pie movies, the race gets its name from the Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center in Augusta, MI. Located between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, it’s also close to where Matt’s parents live. We were able to stay with them and spend a nice weekend together in addition to me doing the race.

With the Twin Cities Marathon being the top priority on my racing schedule, I’ve decided that I will only do triathlons on “down” weekends when it comes to marathon training. I don’t want to miss any of my really long runs. My training schedule cut back to a 12-mile long run the weekend of the Shermanator, versus 17 miles the week before and 19 the week after. I was okay with skipping a 12-mile run if I needed to recover from the race, but I actually felt fine and still managed to do the long run the following day anyway.

Matt and his dad were kind enough to support me despite the crazy early arrival time. We parked in the designated field and had a bit of a hike to get to the YMCA’s recreation center, where I checked in around 6:30 am. I wasn’t guaranteed a shirt because I registered a few days prior to the race, but luckily they had a table with some extras and I was able to get a shirt in my size. After I checked in, we had more walking to do to get down to the waterfront. I enjoyed the walk through the woods on the paved trails, where we passed things like an archery range, cabins, a band shell, and more. It’s a really nice center with a lot of activities for retreats and campers.

The band shell.

Very nice paths through the woods.

A large church group had their own section of racks in the transition area, and the rest were first come first serve. I chose a rack on the concrete so I wouldn’t have to worry about getting as much grass off my feet after the swim. The transition area was in the woods and it was a pretty setting.

The transition area.

I was happy to find a building with real bathrooms by the beach. They also had porta-potties, so I didn’t see anyone waiting in long lines. I went down to the beach to scope it out. The lake looked beautiful!

A great photo from Matt.

The swim would start through the gap on the right, and finish through the gap on the left, by the buoy.

I wanted to get a feel for the layout, so I did a quick run from the beach up to the transition area. It was nice that they had mats on the grass, making the run a lot smoother.

The path from the beach up to the transition area.

Transition closed at 7:30, and the first of four waves started at 7:45. There were a couple of waves for the men first, then a couple for the women, with each wave starting about four minutes after the previous one. I was in the third wave, with women 45 and under. The water was a warm 78 degrees – warmer than the air.

People were told that they could hang back by the beach where it was shallow if they chose, because it got deep pretty quickly. I wanted to be up near the official starting line so I wouldn’t waste any time. I treaded water at first until I realized I could just hang onto the dock and save energy.

Matt took some pictures, including this one of the start of the swim.

My pre-race nerves were especially bad because of stomach issues. It had been messed up since Wednesday afternoon and continued to bother me when I woke up the morning of the race. I didn’t want to back out of the race and figured I’d give it a try. I hoped I’d at least be okay for the swim and bike, but worried about the jostling motion when it was time to run. I wanted to be excited about the start of the race, but I was too conscious of the dull pain in my stomach. When it was time for my wave to start, there was no looking back!

After racing an Olympic triathlon last month, I was excited about the sprint distance because it would be so much shorter and faster. The Shermanator only had a sprint distance. The swim was 500 yards, so I didn’t bother with a wetsuit. I’d practiced swimming fast for 400 meters earlier in the week and felt confident. However, when I started the race, my legs felt tired from the start and I worried about how the rest of the race might go. I felt a little better as I went along. I was spoiled when I swam in the beautiful Lake Huron for my last tri. This was the typical kind of lake I’ve grown used to, where I could see a little bit in front of me, but not much. A few spots had some seaweed, but nothing bad. Although I was slower than I expected to be, it went okay.

On my way to the transition.

The swim and run up the beach and through the grass took 10:54. I got through the first transition in 1:25, mostly slowed down by putting my socks and shoes on, and trying to get my thick, wet ponytail through my helmet.

Starting the bike portion.

The bike course started uphill, and I was already totally winded from the swim. I finally recovered after the first mile on the bike. We rode on some trails through the park and out to the main roads. I wouldn’t say the roads were rough, but not the smoothest I’ve been on either. The course had a few rolling hills that slowed me down, but nothing significant. I didn’t think about my stomach at all on the bike, so I felt pretty good at that point. Still, I’m never very fast on the bike. I peaked at 19.9 mph for one downhill mile, but averaged under 17.5 mph overall. I finished 10 miles in 34:28.

Elevation for the bike course.

I flew through the second transition in 33 seconds. Like the bike, the run started uphill on the way out of the park. We ran on the paved trails, had a brief stretch on a gravel path, then went out to the roads. The first mile was pretty tough between tired legs from the bike and starting uphill. Nearly a mile into the run, I caught up to a woman who was wearing a bike helmet while running – something I’d never seen before. I wondered if it was her way of saving time. Just after I passed her, I heard her realize out loud that she still had it on. Apparently it wasn’t intentional!

I got through the first mile in 7:42 and the second in 7:49. After running my first couple miles under a 7:30 pace during last month’s Olympic tri, I was not impressed with myself. This was shorter and should be faster! This course did have enough small, rolling hills to slow me down a bit. I became more aware of my stomach during the run. I had a dull ache/cramp on my left side. I was extremely thankful that it wasn’t worse though. I kept telling myself that it wasn’t going to be my greatest day, but I was still doing it. I sped up to a 7:20 pace for the third mile, mostly thanks to flying down the hill that was so hard to climb at the start. I finished the 5K run in 22:56. The official results said I averaged 7:22 per mile, but my Garmin had my average at 7:37 per mile, with the course a little short at 3.02.

The elevation for the run.

I finished the whole race with a time of 1:10:13. I had estimated that my time would be around 1:10-1:15, so I was pretty happy. I was also excited to see that I had placed as the sixth woman overall (out of 78), and third in my age group! The race had 154 finishers for the triathlon, 19 in the duathlon, six in the aquabike, plus a few relay teams.

I usually need a couple minutes of walking around to recover after a race. This time was different though, because in addition to feeling wiped out from a hard finish, stomach pain came on literally seconds after I stopped running. I usually want food right away, but I was suffering. I grabbed a slice of watermelon and ate it as I hunched over at a picnic table. Despite feeling so bad, I knew I needed something after racing for over an hour. I was happy to see chocolate milk, which is my usual recovery drink. I didn’t feel like having a granola bar or yogurt, but I took some blueberries. Once again, I hunched over at the picnic table in pain. I thought it was interesting that I made it through over an hour of racing, but the second I stopped, things got really bad. Because I had won an age group award, it meant I had to wait around for the ceremony. Matt checked to see if I could get it early, but I couldn’t. I found a place to sit and tried not to move. Eventually they got to the awards, and we took off right after I collected mine.

Faking a smile even though I felt miserable!

My age group medal along with the great race shirt. Sure to be a new favorite of mine.

It had been a long walk into the park, but it felt REALLY long on the way out as I walked while hunched over. I was so thankful to have Matt and his dad there to help with my bike and other stuff. Before we could get to the car, I felt nauseous enough to hit the bushes and get sick. The stomach pain stuck with me the entire day, and luckily I felt better the next day.

Aside from the stomach misery, it was a great experience. I realized after the race how much I liked the grouping of the waves. With all of the men starting before the women, I didn’t have them flying around me during the bike portion. In nearly every other race I’ve done, some of the men are SO much faster than me on the bike and it makes me feel even worse about my slowness as they zip by. I still knew I wasn’t fast, but it was nice that it wasn’t as blatantly obvious. Although a little challenging at times, it was a nice course. I hope to do this race again when I feel better so I can truly enjoy it.

– Janet

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