Valentine's Day Massacre Marathon & Relay

/

After completing a brutal yet satisfying 14-mile run at a 7:40 pace yesterday with Sole Sister Cindy Barbour, I was on such a high (or so mentally and physically broken) that when she suggested we partner together to run the Valentine's Day Massacre Marathon & Relay this coming Sunday, it never occurred to me to say no. 

Never occurred to me even though: 

The course through Country ParkI think it comes down to the hoodie. The Massacre has the best hooded sweatshirts for participants of any race I've ever been in, hands down. I'm willing to put myself in pain for one of those. 

The race is held over a 1.6 mile loop. Runners alternate running loops, 8 apiece. I think I remember that 2-person teams were permitted to run two loops at a time before switching out. I hope so. The hardest part of this race isn't the distance. It's cooling off after each of your laps then having to go back out on the course with tight muscles. 

The best part of this race though is the down times. It's a great chance to talk and catch up with fellow runners who are between laps and people treat the event like one big tailgating party. There'll be tents and lawn chairs and plenty of food and drink.

The key word for this week is easy. Go easy on the legs. Easy on the workouts. Eat well. Drink lots and lots of lots of water. A little bit of prayer probably wouldn't hurt--especially given the team name we picked.

On Sunday, be sure to root for TEAM SOLE SISTERS: HOT FAST WOMEN.

Cheers,

Dena

Back From Savannah Marathon

/
Sole Sisters and fellow GSO runner Claudette at Savannah Marathon ExpoI'm back home safe and sound after running the inaugural Savannah Rock-n-Roll Marathon on Saturday. In a word, I am beat. Happy and proud, but beat. I kicked out a new PR of 3:29:45. I remember when I first started running 5 years ago thinking, "If I could ever run even just a 5k at a 9-minute pace, I would be so happy." It never even occurred to me as a possibility that I might someday run 26.2 miles at an 8-minute-per-mile pace. I trained hard for this race and I'm super proud of what I accomplished. 
Read More

Savannah Marathon: The (Meltdown?) Countdown Begins

/

It's a funny thing, training for a marathon. During the long summer months of intervals, tempo runs, and long runs, you kind of lose sight that at some point it's all going to culminate into you having to stand at a start line and face down 26.2 miles. You know in the back of your mind that, "Yeah, I'm doing this training run so someday I can run really fast and be in a lot of pain for a long time while I do it," but the reality of what you're attempting doesn't really sink in until about a week before your race.

It is a week before my race. 

Next Saturday I'll join 22,999 other runners at the start line for the Savannah Rock'N'Roll Marathon/Half-Marathon. As usual, I'm equal parts excited and freaked out. 

 

Read More

Marine Corps Mud Run 2011

/

The "Before" ShotIs there anything more fun than a mud run? I don't think so.

My friend Christie and I signed up for the 2nd Annual NC Marine Corps Mud Run months ago. The "After" ShotWe participated as a team with our spouses: Sole Sisters & Their Heels. Sadly, Christie's husband Mike was sidelined at the last minute by a stress fracture, but he gamely showed up at the race in his air cast and took the great pictures you see here. Our running friend (and Ironman!) Don took Mike's place. 

The big muddy smelly pit at the endThe course was a 5K run filled with obstacles - mud pits, climbing over logs, pulling yourself up a hill on a rope, crawling through tunnels, jumping walls and--of course--lots and lots of mud pits! The one at the end was huge, warm, and smelled. If by some chance you'd made it through the course clean, the marines in the final mud pit splashed and dunked you to make sure you emerged as a mud beast. 

Would I run it again? You bet! We're already planning our strategy for next year.Charlie's Angels Mud Queens

My favorite pic of the day