Race Reports/Encouragement/Kudos - November 1st and 2nd

[Big Vic]

Saturday, November 1st

1 - FatElvis (Kayci) Shoal Creek Wilderness Run, Kansas City, MO

Sunday, November 2nd

2 – Caseydilla (Casey) City of Santa Clarita Half Marathon, Santa Clarita, CA
2 – jeanneg (), MouseDogMom (Jackie) City of Oaks Half Marathon, Raleigh, NC


:jumping1: GO! WISH Team GO! :jumping1:

[Honeibee]

Go WISH Team Go!!

:yay: :woohoo: :cool1: :cheer2: :woohoo: :cheer2: :banana: :cool1: :woohoo: :yay: :cheer2:


What? No Lime in the NYC ING?? Well....we'll have to do something about that, now, won't we??? :teeth:

[Tiger Lily 03]

Go WISH Team!

Have fun!

(Judy are you entering?)

[Honeibee]

(Judy are you entering?)[/COLOR]

:scared1:

:lmao: Oh Lily, that's precious! You are a funny girl! :rotfl2:

[postesf]

Go WISH team GO!!!!

[hockeygirl]

GOOD LUCK WISH TEAM!!!!!

Judy--I tried to get in to NYC via the lottery but had no luck! I will be heading there watching though as I have a few friends running!

[jeanneg]

I also tried to get in via the lottery, but no luck, darnit. They actually emailed me the rejection on my birthday.......how mean is that! I'm NYC born and raised so I'm going to continue trying. If I get rejected 3 years in a row, I have a guaranteed entry for the 4th year....at which point I'll be nearly 60 years old...YOWSA!

[getnthinr]

How many folks remember Andy Griffith? And who remembers that the setting for "The Andy Griffith Show" was supposedly inspired by Andy's hometown of Mt.Airy NC (May-berry -- Mt. Airy -- see the similarity? Mt Airy is a short distance from Pilot Mountain -- and they were always talking about Mt. Pilot -- Remember?)

So, when I got out of the boot a couple of weeks ago, and it was obvious I wouldn't be able to make the leap from 5-milers to a full marathon, I opted out of the City of Oaks Marathon and got my entry deferred till next year. Earlier this week, I got the itch to try the half marathon distance this weekend. I could have signed up for the City of Oaks Half, but I was a little concerned that I wouldn't be able to make the time limit (not being entirely up to snuff yet). I found a listing on Active for the Mayberry Half and Marathon Relay and contacted the race director to check the time limit. Because the half and marathon relay were run simultaneously, I'd have 5 hours to complete the half, they allowed iPods (woohoo!), and it is in a very beautiful part of the country. Why not? I might be slow, but at least I'd get in some good hill training.

This morning, I set off for Mt. Airy. The race was quite small, but I have to say I was very impressed. The course was beautiful, the package pickup very well organized, and the volunteers unbelievably friendly -- even to a way back of the packer like myself. I discovered right away that the names Mount Airy and Pilot Mountain were not coincidental, but honestly, the scenery was so beautiful (and the folks so nice) that I didn't really mind the hills.

But enough talk -- here are the photos.
These were the only folks I kept in view -- and I lost them after about Mile 5. The course signage was very clear, though, so I was never afraid of getting lost.
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i132/getnthinr/2008MayberryHalf/course12.jpg
The leaves were amazing
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i132/getnthinr/2008MayberryHalf/course22.jpg
Horses on the courses
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i132/getnthinr/2008MayberryHalf/course32.jpg
I could have taken a million of these along the course -- beautiful house, gorgeous Fall color
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i132/getnthinr/2008MayberryHalf/course52.jpg
OK, so I have more photos, but you get the idea. It was just breathtaking. So, I finally finish -- dead last -- at 3:20-something, I'd guess. (The results aren't posted yet.) And I get some food and head to the car and I'm about to get in and the guy on the loudspeaker tells me to come back -- I placed in my age group (not sure where!) and I get a little standard nondescript medal, but for a $30 race, it was a really nice surprise. And the race director made a point to come over and ask me what I thought and thanked me profusely for coming and encouraged me to come back next year.

On the way home, I stopped at Pilot Mountain and took a short hike from the parking lot to the overlooks.
Pilot Mountain
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i132/getnthinr/2008MayberryHalf/pilot_mountain2.jpg
Me at the overlook
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i132/getnthinr/2008MayberryHalf/afterwards2.jpg

All in all, a really nice day -- and just the confidence-booster I needed.

[TXAng]

Wendy - Those photos are breathtaking! What a gorgeous place. Sounds like it was a nice race.

[Maherae]

Great job, Wendy!! I've been there and climbed that mountain..YIKES!!! You are truly an inspiration to have done it AFTER a half marathon!!!:scared1:

An award is an award..CONGRATULATIONS!! :woohoo: :yay: :banana:

:goodvibes Anne

[getnthinr]

Great job, Wendy!! I've been there and climbed that mountain..YIKES!!! You are truly an inspiration to have done it AFTER a half marathon!!!:scared1:

An award is an award..CONGRATULATIONS!! :woohoo: :yay: :banana:

:goodvibes Anne

Anne, you give me too much credit :rotfl: -- It was just a HALF marathon -- and I parked in the upper lot and took the 1/4-1/2 mi. hike to the overlooks. I just didn't want to drive straight home and stiffen up. It was a nice little rest stop along the way.

[Tiger Lily 03]

...give me too much credit :rotfl: -- It was just a HALF marathon -- and I parked in the upper lot and took the 1/4-1/2 mi. hike to the overlooks. I just didn't want to drive straight home and stiffen up. It was a nice little rest stop along the way.
:scared1: Did you really say that? Just a half marathon?

Wendy, you amaze me at your accomplishment. I love the pics too.

[jmasgat]

My half marathon training plan called for a step-bak week this week, so instead of running 6 miles, it called for a 5k (yeah!) Not much going on in these parts at this time of year, but I did manage to find a 5k trail race called the Bloomer Boogie held at Bloomer Park in Rochester, Michigan. I have been here once before--they have a small velodrome, and I watched a race there--and my DD actually ran some some HS XC races here. So off I went.

Race time temp:40 degrees (maybe)
Field size: ~75-100
Sponsor: Rochester Optimists Club (fund raiser for youth activities)

I'd love to give a detailed course description, but I am always so focused on trying to keep moving forward that I am usually oblivious to my surroundings! I think it was mostly flat, with some hills thown in. Given that the leaves are really falling, there was some confusion as to where the course went in a couple of places! I didn't get sidetracked, but I think some others did.

I didn't wear a watch and there were no people giving time checks, so I don't have splits. I went out probably fast, slowed in the middle and felt like I was coming back towards the end. Had enough to come down the home stretch at a faster clip and finished in 27:40. I'm surprised I was "that fast" (a relative term, indeed!)

This was my second 5k and first trail race, and my time was just 12 seconds office my other 5k (road) race, so I'm happy. I won my age group (40-49) and got an Optimist Club coffee mug.

So now it's on to phase 2 of my half training. And Disney in January. Getting excited, although not yet convinved I can make it trhough the half running, but one day/one mile at a time.

Maura

[dsnyfan21]

COngrats Maura!!!

SOmetimes the things you don't plan work out great!!

Tracy

[getnthinr]

Woohoo, Maura! Congrats on the award!

[Tiger Lily 03]

Good job Maura! You will be doing fantastic in January!

[MouseDogMom]

Wendy - The race sounds wonderful! My parents had retired to Mt Airy before they died, so I know the area well. I would never have been brave enough to attempt anything in that region! Congratulations on placing in your age group, despite the finish... and for attempting a half so soon after injury. And we love Pilot Mountain (in fact, DD just saw your pictures and is whining that she wants to go ASAP)

Maura - Great job on your trail race! You are getting so fast!

Jackie

[MouseDogMom]

I ran the City of Oaks Half Marathon this morning in Raleigh. Beautiful day - 40's at start time, 60's by race end. I had no idea what I was going to do when I arrived - figured I'd wing it based on who I ran into and how I felt. Saw Jeanne and her DH almost immediately, but couldn't find any of my Galloway group so decided I'd start walking with them. As we moved to the start line, saw 2 of my group members and one of them was planning on doing R1/W1 with a 15:00 walk to start. That sounded perfect, so Charlotte and I lined up together and off we went. We hit the 1 mile marker at the end of the 15:00 walk, and within the first 2 miles had passed Jeanne and her group, as well as the entire 12:00 Galloway pace group that I usually run with. :)

Was feeling pretty good, and we were fairly confident that we would finish ahead of the 12:00 group who were running R2/W1. Then I absolutely had to make a portapotty stop, and we fell behind. Passed Jeanne again within a mile or so, and felt strong to the turnaround at mile 7. Then we switched to R2/W1 for the return trip. I struggled a bit, since I hadn't done those intervals since before my injury break (August 9th, to be exact!), but I hung in there until mile 12 when I told Charlotte I had to stop and walk. We ran the last quarter mile, and crossed the finish line in 2:54:28 - a PR by 31 seconds over my Disney time! :cool1:

I never expected to PR today, since I was so undertrained compared to where I was in January. I couldn't believe the time when I checked the results and then looked back at my Disney time. We ended up about 7 minutes behind our pace group, which wasn't bad considering I added a second portapotty stop (don't even know what was going on there!) :confused3

Overall, a nicely done race. I didn't check out all the free food at the end - both Charlotte & I were cramping badly and were more concerned about continuing to walk around than getting food. We grabbed a carton of chocolate milk, but I know there was pizza in addition to the usual fruit and bagels. Next up is either Victory Junction or Disney - depends on how I'm feeling in December when Victory Junction rolls around!

Jackie

[getnthinr]

Wow -- that is some PR! Fabulous job, Jackie! Hope I'll be joining you at that race next year.

[jmasgat]

Wendy & Jackie Great job on the races! I am still in awe of people who make it through a half marathon, since that is a distance I haven't achieved yet. Keep up the good work!

Maura

[postesf]

Great job Wendy and Jackie on your Half marathons!!!! :banana:

:cheer2: for your 5K Maura!!!

[TnTsParty]

Wow great job Wendy and Jackie. Next week will be my first experience with a 1/2 marathon and I am hoping I can have Wendy's great attitude after and say "it was only a 1/2 marathon!!" LOL

Again great job WISH team.

[jeanneg]

Congratulations Jackie, Wendy and Maura!:cheer2: :cheer2:
That is awesome about achieving a PR, Jackie! Way to go, girlfriend!

I think Wendy made the right choice in backing out of the City of Oaks. I personally found the course to be brutal. I know they made the second half easier, but I truly believe the first half was much more difficult than last year. There seemed to be no end to the hills. I was trying very hard to get a PR. Last year's City of Oaks was my best half-marathon ever with a finish time of 3:01:xx. This year I was determined to come in a chip time under 3 hours and really gave it my all. I was walking about a 13:40 mile and things really looked good until somewhere around Mile 10 when I developed a really bad cramp in my right calf. I was OK when it was flat or downhill but as soon as I hit an uphill patch the cramp would come back. Towards the end, the only way I could keep moving was to stiffen my leg and just swing it around. Naturally my pace suffered. I finished with chip time of 3:04:19 (14:05 pace) so i was very disappointed. I gave it my best shot and it didn't work. To make it even worse, I was in alot of pain all day yesterday. I don't think I will ever go for a PR again....it's just too hard on my body. I promised John we will do Run for Victory Junction together so at least that one will be nice and easy. And the marathon will be just about finishing......there's no way I'm going to concern myself with a best time for 26.2 miles! Anyway, back to the report......they had free pizza and cartons of chocolate milk (it tasted SO GOOD!) at the finish line, but no beer like last year. Also last year one of the sponsors was a local bakery and they provided all sorts of muffins and huge choc. chip and oatmeal cookies. They did not participate this year and my hubby (who is a cookie fiend) was very disappointed about that.
Next up is Run for Victory Junction with Wendy and hopefully Jackie as well.

[jeanneg]

Wendy: Forgot to say that I loved the Mayberry photos! How awesome you are to hike up a trail after completing a half marathon! :worship: :worship: :worship:

[Caseydilla]

Wendy - Good job on your half. That looks like one of the most scenic courses I've ever seen!

Maura - Congrats on your trail race! You made very good time!

Jackie - Nice work on the PR!

Jeanne - Congrats on your half! Sorry about your pain. I think it's admirable that you pulled through and finished!

[getnthinr]

Thanks, Jeanne!

So sorry about your almost-PR. Hey, maybe you should ride with me to the OBX or Wilmington this weekend -- a nice flat half awaits you at either destination. I'm waffling on which way to go -- Wilmington has a couple of neat perks: free ticket to tour the Battleship North Carolina and a really lovely course. Also an early start for walkers so you finsh while there are still plenty of goodies left -- including beer, if memory serves correctly. OTOH, the OBX is pirate-themed this year (and all that that implies) and also has a neat course. It includes a very long, virtually flat "bridge" (it's really more of a road across the sound than a bridge in my opinion). Neither are very glamorous, but both are built for PRs if flat suits you.

I was very impressed by your pace -- it beat the heck out of mine! You and I agree, though, that Disney is not a PR course -- less than ideal temps (for me, anyway) and too many good photo ops to pass up. It is my nature that I'd rather have a good photo and a good memory than a PR. Guess that's why I'll never be fast. :)

Congratulations on perserving at any rate -- and I look forward to seeing you and your DH soon!

[Caseydilla]

Yesterday, I ran the City of Santa Clarita half marathon. This was the town I grew up in, so I thought it would be fun to run my hometown for the first time. I was worried about the 60% chance of rain. Luckily, it only rained just before the race started and just sprinkled once during the race. The course was good. Some very slight hills but nothing compared to some of the climbs in previous halfs I've done. I kept a steady mid 9 minute pace throughout the race. My goal was to finish in 2:05. I ended up crossing the finish at 2:04:57 and set a new PR for my half time.

My only disappointment with this event was packet pick-up. I went to packet pick up only to be told that they ran out of goody bags and I would not get one. They had a lot of people sign up late, so they had given a good amount of bags away to those folks. It's not that important but still a bummer when I registered long ago and travelled to the event from out of state. Anytime I've signed up late for a race, I have just told up front that I might not get a bag/shirt and that priority is given to pre-reg folks.

A few pics:

Right when the race started.
Left/green side is the marathon/half, the right with all the orange was the 5Kers.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/luvmytalia/sc2.jpg

And the medal
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/luvmytalia/sc1.jpg

[Tiger Lily 03]

Jackie, good job! Sorry about the cramping, but good job on the event!

Jeanne, good job! You did great considering the rough course. Sorry about those sponsors who were missing this year since they were so good last year.

Casey, ugh on the lack of packet. Congrats on the PR! Good pics.

Thanks for your reports everyone!

[mkymsehi]

My only disappointment with this event was packet pick-up. I went to packet pick up only to be told that they ran out of goody bags and I would not get one. They had a lot of people sign up late, so they had given a good amount of bags away to those folks. It's not that important but still a bummer when I registered long ago and travelled to the event from out of state. Anytime I've signed up late for a race, I have just told up front that I might not get a bag/shirt and that priority is given to pre-reg folks.



Casey,

Write, call, or email the race director and complain. Tell them you're considering not racing their event ever again, and that you'll be posting and emailing all your running mates. Tell them how far you drove to get there, hotel, registration, etc. That will wake them up, and hopefully make amends for no goody bag.

That's just wrong.

[mkymsehi]

Right when the race started.
Left/green side is the marathon/half, the right with all the orange was the 5Kers.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/luvmytalia/sc2.jpg



Looks like the WISH Team racing the Disneyrunning team! :lmao:

[goofyinohio]

Yesterday, I ran the City of Santa Clarita half marathon. This was the town I grew up in, so I thought it would be fun to run my hometown for the first time. I was worried about the 60% chance of rain. Luckily, it only rained just before the race started and just sprinkled once during the race. The course was good. Some very slight hills but nothing compared to some of the climbs in previous halfs I've done. I kept a steady mid 9 minute pace throughout the race. My goal was to finish in 2:05. I ended up crossing the finish at 2:04:57 and set a new PR for my half time.

My only disappointment with this event was packet pick-up. I went to packet pick up only to be told that they ran out of goody bags and I would not get one. They had a lot of people sign up late, so they had given a good amount of bags away to those folks. It's not that important but still a bummer when I registered long ago and travelled to the event from out of state. Anytime I've signed up late for a race, I have just told up front that I might not get a bag/shirt and that priority is given to pre-reg folks.

A few pics:

Right when the race started.
Left/green side is the marathon/half, the right with all the orange was the 5Kers.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/luvmytalia/sc2.jpg

And the medal
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/luvmytalia/sc1.jpg

I like the medal. :thumbsup2
I don't like hearing that they didn't give you a goodie bag. :sad2: It's usually on the short list of things you get for signing up so that would make me unhappy. Congrats on your PR that's a great time. :woohoo: :cheer2:

The more I sit and think about it the more it bothers me about the bag. Even though I generally don't care about the stuff in the bag I can't wait to go through it when I do get one.

[jeanneg]

A few pics:

Right when the race started.
Left/green side is the marathon/half, the right with all the orange was the 5Kers.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/luvmytalia/sc2.jpg



Great report, Casey!
I actually recognize that street. My daughter just got her Masters from Cal Arts this past May. She lived in Santa Clarita for 2 years. I was the one who went with her to find an apartment so I feel like I know every part of Valencia inside and out. She ended up living in Stevenson Ranch.

That really stinks about the goodie bag since you were one of the ones who pre-registered. I would let them know how you feel.....maybe they'll send you a coupon or some fee stuff to make it up to you. Neat medal!

[getnthinr]

I'm chiming in, too, to thank you for the report and photos. The medal definitely rocks!

Sorry about the lack of a goody bag. I love getting mine, too, and I'd be disappointed if I missed out -- especially after pre-registering.

[jeanneg]

Thanks, Jeanne!

So sorry about your almost-PR. Hey, maybe you should ride with me to the OBX or Wilmington this weekend -- a nice flat half awaits you at either destination. I'm waffling on which way to go -- Wilmington has a couple of neat perks: free ticket to tour the Battleship North Carolina and a really lovely course. Also an early start for walkers so you finsh while there are still plenty of goodies left -- including beer, if memory serves correctly. OTOH, the OBX is pirate-themed this year (and all that that implies) and also has a neat course. It includes a very long, virtually flat "bridge" (it's really more of a road across the sound than a bridge in my opinion). Neither are very glamorous, but both are built for PRs if flat suits you.

I was very impressed by your pace -- it beat the heck out of mine! You and I agree, though, that Disney is not a PR course -- less than ideal temps (for me, anyway) and too many good photo ops to pass up. It is my nature that I'd rather have a good photo and a good memory than a PR. Guess that's why I'll never be fast. :)

Congratulations on perserving at any rate -- and I look forward to seeing you and your DH soon!

Wendy, there's been a change of plans for me and I will NOT be accompanying John to Atlanta so I am available to do an event. I'm just not sure I want to tackle another half this weekend. I went out so hard on Sunday, I'm not sure what I still have left to give. I've got 8 miles on my schedule for this weekend but that's because I thought I was going to be in a hotel using a treadmill. Mayb we could train together. I'm a real "learned late in life" driver (born in NYC, remember) so I'm not comfortable traveling to places I don't know. If Idecided to go with one of those 2 events, I'd have to meet you somewhere and that might be a major inconvenience. Just a thought........maybe it will work out, but no sweat if it doesn't.

[getnthinr]

Wendy, there's been a change of plans for me and I will NOT be accompanying John to Atlanta so I am available to do an event.

We can definitely work something out. I'll PM you with my phone numbers and we can chat about it.