Tips for Running in the Cold

One of things that surprises me most as a runner is how often people are impressed that I run outside in the winter. (My evil secret is I loathe treadmills and indoor tracks with every fiber of my being.) But I truly do love winter running!

And those of us running Myrtle Beach don't even have until spring!

After a few conversations with coworkers on this topic, I've realized a lot of people just don't know how to run in cold weather. It seems like people think I'm hardcore because they assume I'm cold the whole time when I'm out running. This couldn't be further from the truth. If winter long runs meant being cold for three hours, I wouldn't be doing them. (If they meant being cold for 10 minutes, I wouldn't do them then either, let's be real.)

I've figured out what works best for me through a lot of trial and error (and willingness to look like a dork). I thought I'd share some tricks of the trade I've picked up over the last couple years. Hopefully at least one of these will be new to you.

1. De-wax your ears.

Let's start with the grossest first! Before I started getting allergy shots, I usually saw the doctor two to four times a year for sinus infections. These infections gave me some level of ear discomfort, so I always asked the doctor to check to see if I had a separate ear infection. (I was so miserable I couldn't tell.) Finally, one doctor told me she couldn't actually tell because I had too much earwax in the way, and she recommended drops to reduce the wax.

This sounded like the weirdest thing I'd ever heard, but I was concerned that my ears were so clogged no one could actually examine them properly, so I popped into CVS and picked some up. Be warned - the drops release oxygen when they come in contact with earwax, so, if you have a lot like me, it will sound like you set off bombs inside your eardrums.

I noticed the benefits right away. I had always had problems with excruciating pain in my inner ears if I exerted myself outside in the cold (even if it was an easy effort and I was wearing a hat). I never put two and two together, but clearing my ears out has completely taken this pain away. I'm not sure if this is a common problem, but I know I never thought to ask for a solution, so I'd say give this a try if your ears are aching. (Bonus - this removed the post-swim vertigo I used to get on a regular basis, too.)

2. Know when to dress in layers.

Dressing in layers is probably the most obvious cold weather tip there is. However, I found it much more helpful to know when to put on an extra layer. For example, if it feels like it's below 15 degrees and dark out, I wear a loose pair of sweat pants on top of my tights. If there are high winds (determined by feel or if they're strong enough to be included in the weather report), I wear my balaclava. Pretty simple, but these rules of thumb cut down on the time I spent contemplating my wardrobe.

And speaking of balaclavas....

3. A running balaclava is your best friend.

I feel like the biggest dork ever in this thing, but it is seriously a lifesaver when there are brutal winds or even just very cold temps. There are tons of balaclava choices, but make sure to get one designed for running. Mine has a nose slit and lots of holes over the mouth. (The nose slit is also easy to grab if I want to expose my face but my gloves have swallowed my fine motor skills.) Neither of these let in a significant amount of cold air but let me breathe normally. It also has a neck gaiter, so I tuck it into the neck of my Underamour. This means when it's freezing out, the only thing left exposed are my eyes. Totally worth feeling like a dweeb.

Hott.

4. Base layers are also your best friend.

Again, this is an obvious tip - but I want to touch on two base layers I think a lot of people miss: gloves and leggings. I have pair of Smartwool liner gloves that I wear under heavier gloves when it's really cold out. (When it's not quite as cold, I wear the liner gloves on their own.) I'm more prone to cold fingers because I have Raynaud's, and having that extra layer really makes a difference. Plus the liner gloves work are touch-screen sensitive, so I can adjust my iPod without having to expose my hands.

I also have a pair of wool leggings that fit under my tights. While my legs don't get too cold when I'm running (they're busy working, after all), having a snuggly layer against my skin helps, even if only psychologically.

5. Gaiters have multiple uses.

My final tip is to get a pair of gaiters. I'll be the first to admit they are a giant pain in the butt to put on (and getting them on right so that they stay in place is key), but they can keep a run from turning miserable fast. I usually wear them when there's slush on the ground, to keep any from splashing onto my legs or into my shoes. (I don't typically wear them when there's only snow, since it doesn't melt on me until I get back inside.) But my other secret is wearing them when it's extra cold out, to cover that final bit of skin between the bottom of my tights and my socks.

And yes, I do photograph almost everything on my bed.

None of these tips are exactly earth-shattering, but I wanted to collect them all in one place. Just don't let my coworkers know...I like that they think I'm superhuman when my apartment is actually set at 80 degrees.

Run Less Run Faster: Week One

I have to admit, I wasn't too sure how this week was going to go. So many people online had negative things to say about the Run Less Run Faster program, but it seemed everyone who had actually, you know, done it, said the workouts could be killer. I was a bit worried this week was going to land at one of those extremes, but it fell perfectly in the middle.

Can't stop, won't stop.

Taking a week before training to get my sleep schedule in order was a great decision - I had no issue getting up early the two days I needed to, and it should be even easier this week now that DST is over.

It was also good practice to start using my lunches to workout. This month is going to be crazy busy at work, and I have a bad habit of working through lunch, even if it fries my brain. However, I put my swims and my gym workouts on my work calendar, complete with reminder, and that encouraged me to treat it like any other meeting and get up from my desk on time. I think having this mid-day release is going to be super beneficial over the next few weeks.

And overall, I really really like how RLRF is structured. The workouts are just as tough as people said, but knowing I have a day of cross-training afterwards to recover helps me push through. This was helpful too when I was doing my long run Saturday - I knew I had to two days off from running after, so I didn't waste any mental energy worrying about being tired afterwards. I knew I was going to be tired - and it didn't matter!

Monday, October 27
500 yd swim


I was a bit nervous about getting back into the pool after so long away. The workout called for nothing but kicking, so I'm sure today I'm in for a rude awakening when I actually have to do things with my arms. I also discovered that the pool at lunch time is very odd - tons of people come between 11 and 12, and suddenly everyone is gone at 12:15. (Seriously, I went from circle-swimming to have my own lane in a five minute span.) This was good because now I know if I need an extra 15 minutes, I should still leave at 12 to avoid people.

Tuesday, October 28
AM - 5.75 mi easy (11:16 min/mile)
lunch - lift

The morning was a catastrophic failure. For some reason I thought running mile repeats without eating or drinking beforehand was a great idea. Spoiler alert - it was awful. I was ready to give up and go home after the first repeat (which I didn't hit my required pace at and nearly puked from at the end), but I knew I should at least get the mileage in. Even those easy miles were painful from the lack of fuel.

Wednesday, October 29
500 yd swim

Same workout as Monday. I could definitely feel the fatigue from Tuesday's run in my legs, but they got nice and loosened up from all the kicking.

Thursday, October 30
AM - 6 mi tempo (10:27 min/mile)
PM - lift

I learned my lesson from Tuesday, and I drank a full glass of water and ate some Saltines before heading out the door. I felt a little tired, but I think it was only some sleepyness. I felt very strong during the tempo miles, so I'm glad I got the problem solved so easily. It is very disorienting running in the dark, since I have no point in the distance to focus on when running hard. It's a new kind of mental exercise.

Friday, October 31
rest


Saturday, November 1
13 mi long (10:42 min/mile)


I had to go into work for a bit Saturday, but I wanted to get my run out of the way earlier. I was awake early enough I could've gone in the dark, but I decided I'd much rather run in the sunshine instead. This was clever stalling technique, as I was pretty worried about hitting the prescribed pace (MP+30).

All this worrying was for naught - I ended up averaging exactly 10:42 minute/miles, right down to the second. I loved my new Garmin: I told it my desired pace range and it beeped whenever I went out of it, taking out the work of mental math to figure out my pace. Instead I was just able to settle in and enjoy my podcast. The weather was absolutely perfect, and I only needed to call on my mental strength for the last two miles.

Sunday, November 2
Slow Flow Yoga


In college I tried to go to yoga once or twice a week and got fairly good at it. Since then I've occasionally done a few videos at home, but I really missed having a live instructor, so I decided to cash in some of my credit card rewards to pay for yoga class once a week (it is expensive, yo).

I was easily the worst student there, but I surprisingly didn't feel bad about it. I know with some work I will improve, and the instructor and other students were very welcoming and non-judgmental.

The only bad part was when the instructor asked if I should get a student discount, since I was in high school. I wish people would be a little more PC when asking about my age, but I'm learning to roll with it.

Run Miles: 24.8
Swim Miles: .6
Lifting Time: 45 mins
Yoga Time: 60 mins
Total Time: 7:02

My biggest challenge this coming week will be balancing a crazy work schedule while staying energized for my workouts. I'm framing my lunch workouts as a great mental break for my days, and my runs as a way to pound out the stress. But let's just say I already can't wait to relax during my long run next weekend!

Five Things Friday - October 31

In trying to decide how to encourage myself to blog more regularly, I thought about the kinds of posts that I wanted to write (I know, what a crazy concept! Please give me credit if you use it.). I always liked the weekly link-up type of posts. None of the ones I know of fall on a day I feel like I could regularly post on, so I thought Five Things Friday would perfect.

I often have quick little things I want to share, but I never quite knew how. I certainly didn't want to write a two paragraph post and call it good, so FTF seemed like a perfect fit. I'll try to keep most of these running-related, but sometimes a little randomness might sneak in. (And if nothing happens all week, I figure I can just share five photos of Faramir.)

1. Michael proved he is the sweetest by surprising me with the sweetest blanket. Major nerd alert! (Me, not him.)

 

Is that totally awesome, or what? And for all the concerned readers out there, Faramir claimed his birthright and now loves to lay on this. My office is very cold to the point that lots of women sit wrapped in a blanket all day, and I'm almost tempted to bundle up this and see what people say. That's how you make friends and influence people, right?

2. We have officially picked all 50 marathons! Check out my 50 States page to get a sneak peek of where we'll be headed over the next several years. Let me know what you think of our choices - good or bad. I tried to do plenty of research, including reading blog posts, but I'm always open to a heads up if I've gone astray. Certainly, if someone could've saved me from the awful race we did in Indiana, I would've paid them good money.

3. Runner's World posted an article this week on a running group that helps teens combat their depression through exercise. I've carefully avoided bringing up my struggles with depression here, but I decided I should just bite the bullet. I wish I had had some group like this available to me in high school, because running has made a huge difference for me now. (I can only assume that it would have made an even bigger difference when I was already having to deal with the normal turbulence of high school, too.)

I think it's very important to note that running is not the same as seeing a therapist, but it has so many benefits. Not only does running give me the physical boost of endorphins, it gives me an area of my life where I can set and achieve goals completely at my own discretion. I'm very OCD/Type A, so having a schedule and crossing my workouts off gives me an immense sense of satisfaction. When I feel emotionally overwhelmed by other things, sticking to my training still lets me feel accomplished.

4. I was also intrigued this week by this article over on Zelle about thin-shaming. (Side note - I still don't understand the point of Zelle...didn't it essentially just group women-related articles together? Seems like there are plenty of other ways to do that without creating a giant controversy, but I digress.)

While I typically detest the words fat-shaming and thin-shaming, I'm not really sure what to use instead. In any case, I do find it frustrating how there's a huge movement against fat-shaming, but thin-shaming is totally acceptable. Just take "All About That Bass." That song is my jam, but it does bother me when the lyrics make fun of "skinny bitches." Like, honestly, my day does not revolve around being skinny just to make heavier people feel bad. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Curvy women should totally feel confident too, I just don't know what's wrong with being slender. My own grandmother even makes comments about how I'm too skinny, even though I'm at a perfectly healthy weight. And usually when I see a new doctor, they sort of edge around asking if I'm anorexic; sometimes I'm tempted to bring a log of how much food I eat! (Other side, I do find it concerning how even medical professionals seem afraid to ask. I see how easy it could be to hide an eating disorder.)

The article goes more into discussing eating disorders, which I don't have any experience with, but it really hit home that other people feel the same way about their thinner bodies. I work damn hard to stay in shape, and I don't appreciate other people suggesting it's a bad thing!

There'd be a war if this was reversed...so why is it okay the way it is?!

5. I want to wrap this post up with a question. When we ran the Stone Bridge Marathon in Illinois, Michael and I were about 45 minutes from where most of my extended family lives. (And not really that many miles, driving in Chicagoland just sucks balls.) They knew we were running the marathon, but they all got together to go see a movie instead. (Please note I had some expectations of reciprocation, because my family sometimes drove up to three hours to see cousins perform or compete when they were in Michigan.) I was obviously quite hurt by this, but Eager Feet Mom suggested that they just didn't realize families come to spectate races.

What's your experience with this? Did your non-running family (or friends) not realize coming to a race to provide support was a thing? I never knew anyone who ran a big race before I started running, so I can't speak from personal experience, but even before I ran, I knew a marathon was big deal and was so impressed by people who could run that far. 

I'm looking for honest opinions here. Maybe I'm just totally off base with how people outside the running community view races.

Because right now this is the scenario I'm imagining.

Well, that got sort of heavy sort of fast, so let's go for a bonus sixth item with a picture of Faramir!

It's hard work making sure I don't get up without permission!

 

Day in the Life: October 28, 2014

Something I've noticed popping up in the blog world is "Day in the Life" posts. I think they're a lot of fun because I'm a stalker they make me feel like I'm in middle school doing Xanga surveys again. Only instead of writing a bs answer for who my crush is (you know who you are ;)), I'm showing you pictures of my food. So pretty much the same thing.

I thought today would be a fun day to do a post, since it's my first day getting up early to run for this training cycle. I'm happy to report that, other than during the hours I normally would've been sleeping, I didn't feel tired or worn out. I'm sure it helps I actually set myself up for success by creating a morning and evening routine last week - and stuck to it - and that I made myself go to bed at 9:15 last night.

I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow though, that's for sure!

5:45 AM: Alarm goes off. I'm a little confused why it's ringing so early, but after checking my texts and emails, I roll out of bed.

5:55 AM: Wash my face, brush my teeth, and get dressed for my run.

So selfie, much awkward.

6:08 AM: Out the door to run. I'm a few minutes behind my schedule, but I needed that time to get my tummy good to go. I'm slated to do a mile WU, three mile repeats with 400 jogs, and a mile CD.

7:17 AM: Return home from run. Not fueling or hydrating before heading out was a huge mistake, so after nearly vomiting following the first repeat, I just aimed to get in the mileage at an easy pace, so the run took a few minutes longer than planned. You would never know because it's still pitch black out. I drink a glass of chocolate milk and go through my stretching routine.

7:45 AM: Hop in the shower and get myself presentable for work. Call my hair good when it's about 80% dry.

8:12 AM: I corral Faramir after he sneaks out the door with me, and I'm off to work.

8:30 AM: Per the usual, I get stuck behind someone who thinks driving 35 in a 45 is acceptable. (This is a giant problem in my town, and it drives me bonkers!) Finally settle in to my desk for the day.

8:34 AM: Eat my overnight oats while checking my email. I'm sure productivity experts would say this is the worst, but I find it relaxing and it lets me get a handle on any additional tasks that need to get done that day.

10:08 AM: Get all my new emails dealt with and stop to snack on half a green pepper.

11:08 AM: The green peppers didn't really hit the spot after running, so I munch on two clementines.

Only got a picture of the remnants, I was so ravenous.

11:30 AM: I still feel ravenous, so I eat my sandwich early. It takes a little more work to cook my own buffalo chicken for lunch, rather than just buying something from the deli, but it's so much more delicious and filling!

12 PM: Leave work for the gym.

12:16 PM: Dressed and ready to go. Once again, the front desk person didn't put my wristband on tight enough, and it's flopping all over the place.

12:45 PM: Workout is finished. Towel off the bit of sweat and change back into my work clothes.

1:02 PM: Back at my desk. Enjoy some chocolate milk as a recovery drink. (My coworker assured me this was a delicious rather than dorky idea.)

2:50 PM: Crank through my to do list and stop to snack on some peanut butter crackers. They're whole wheat, so actually pretty filling.

4 PM: Join a group of my coworkers to work on crafting our Halloween costumes for the office-wide contest on Thursday. Two teams in my bay are combining: the bosses are being Pac-Man and Mrs. Pac-Man, while the rest of us are being ghosts or fruits. We make great progress and get the ghost bodies and eyes cut out. We have a really stressful few weeks coming up next month, so it was great to have a few moments to relax together.

5:12 PM: Jet out the door.

5:28 PM: Arrive home to my favorite kitty. Once again got stuck behind someone going 35 in the 45.

5:39 PM: Put my PJ's on (great benefit to working out in the morning!) and heat up dinner. Catch up on blogs while I eat.

6:08 PM: Do dishes, pack my lunch for tomorrow, and feed Faramir for tomorrow while listening to Freakonomics Radio. I've realized I avoid/hate these chores because I get bored. That podcast is really informative and engaging and makes the time fly by.

6:39 PM: Once my daily chores are done, I do some weekly cleaning. I keep Freakonomics Radio on and get the bathroom and kitchen clean, plus I sneak in dusting.

7:15 PM: Take my second shower of the day. It feels a little wasteful, but I think I would be far too gross at work if I only showered every two days.

7:35 PM: Draft up the majority of this post with ESPN on in the background. Ecstatic to see the Playoff Committee has put MSU at #8!

8:15 PM: Watch an episode of the Walking Dead. I started this show with all my extra time in the offseason, and I'm hooked. I despise the zombie craze (I just don't get it!), but TWD really focuses on the people and the survival, and it doesn't even use the z-word. A bonus is that it's not even too scary for me to watch alone.

Anyone know where I get the first few episodes of Season Five online? I didn't DVR it!

9 PM: Throw some background TV on and participate in my first Twitter chat! I've been wanting to take the plunge for awhile, and when I saw this morning that Mizuno was giving away free pairs of Wave Riders 18s via FitFluential, I knew this was the perfect moment. The chat was so much fun, and the hour flew by!

9:45 PM: I take a quick break to make a mug of tea. This is the only blend I could find at Meijer that was decaf and chamomile free.

10:15 PM: Brush my teeth and crawl into bed. I read a few pages of The Sports Gene, which Eager Feet Dad lent me. It's fascinating, and the writing is very engaging.

10:45 PM: Lights out. Faramir crawls up on my lap, and we're asleep in minutes.

Run Less, Run Faster Preview

Today is the big day - day one of the Run Less, Run Faster program. In a few short hours, I will be heading to the pool and swimming for the first time in months. What could go wrong?

I will normally be posting my weekly recaps on Monday mornings, so I thought I'd start out with an overview of what RLRF is.

After trying Hanson's Marathon Method this past summer and disliking it, I knew I wanted to try a more balanced plan. I missed swimming, and spending more than two hours running on weekdays didn't really work for me.

I did some searching and came across the RLRF plan, produced by the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST). I had seen this book before at the library, but for some reason I didn't realize it was a training plan, so I had never thumbed through it.

After a little bit of Internet research, I ordered up my very own copy. It's about as different from Hanson's as is physically possible, so I found it very interesting that their training was conceived using the same fundamental ideas. Their five main principles are: progressive overload, specificity, individual differences, law of diminishing returns, and reversibility.

Progressive overload means that training stress will increase gradually, so that the body adapts, rather than breaks. Specificity dictates that runs on the plan will be fast, just like the goal race should be fast. The authors also emphasize acknowledging your individual differences from other runners and adapting the plan as necessary, as each person needs something slightly different to succeed. They also promote the law of diminishing returns - at some point, running more miles will not result in a proportional gain. Finally, reversibility, meaning that training progress can be lost, led them to make only three days a week rung days, making it more likely that runners will take fewer hiatuses.

Like I mentioned above, RLRF is set up to have three runs every week, and each one is a different kind of key workout: first comes a track workout, followed by a tempo run, and finished off with a long run. This is supplemented with three cross-training days, two mandatory and one optional. (The book provides sample workouts for each week for swimming, cycling, and rowing.)

They also encourage strength-training, which I will be doing twice a week. This wasn't discussed very well in the book, but I found a Powerpoint online FIRST had produced on what exercises to do and when. (I'm only modifying the routine to include exercises to hit my low back and hip abductors, since those are my problem spots.)

I tried to find some blog reviews of RLRF to get an idea of what I was in for. I didn't find very many, but what I did find was a lot of vitriol for this plan, mostly from runners who've never tried it. I know RLRF seems radical on the surface, but once I realized the cross-training workouts replace easy runs, it seemed perfectly sensible to me - no one would argue with a plan with five days of running a week. It's also clear that FIRST has spent a lot of time doing scientific research on this plan, so it's not like they're snake oil salesmen or anything. I'm hoping that over the next 16 weeks I can provide a more unbiased opinion on what the plan is really like.

The authors are big believers in setting a realistic goal, so training times are calculated using a recent 5K or 10K time. I used my 10K time from the Scrumpy Skedaddle (57:40), which gives me a projected marathon time of 4:27:36. (Side note - as long as your 5K time is between 16:00 and 40:00, you can use the tables!) I'm a little scared, since this is a marathon pace of 10:12 min/miles, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

Now that I'm working full-time, I like having my long runs on Saturdays best, so I'm starting each training week on Monday. Mondays and Wednesdays I will be swimming at lunch, Tuesdays and Thursdays I will be running before work and lifting at lunch, Saturdays I'll do my long run, and Sundays will be for a yoga class.

I think this program is totally going to kick my butt, but I'm super excited for it. I struggled with Hanson's because it was go go go all the time, with no step back weeks or real rest. I know the RLRF runs are going to put me through the ringer, but I think my mental game will be much stronger knowing I have one day (at least) off from running in between each workout. I'll be back in a week to let you know how I'm too sore to move.

What's your favorite training plan?

YMCA Stone Bridge Marathon Race Rating

Race: YMCA Stone Bridge Marathon

Date: October 11, 2014
Location: Belvidere, IL
Year Running: 4th
Registration: $80

 

Race Information

Size: 46 full, 94 half, 57 5K

Course Limit: 6 hrs

Min. - Max. Elevation: They took away the whole website, so I can't grab exact numbers, but the course was very flat and near sea-level.

Min. - Max Temperature: 39-62

Charity Supported: Belvidere YMCA

Travel

Airports: We drove, but either Chicago airport would be a good choice.

Rental car: Likely needed. I believe there is a Metra stop in Roscoe, so I suppose it would be theoretically possible to fly in Chicago and then take the train, but that would be a lot of work.

Host hotel: None.

Pre-Race

Communications: None. One of my complaints about this race was that there were no pre-race emails, nor did the race officials respond to questions on their Facebook page. Everything was clearly explained on the website, and the RD responded immediately when I emailed her a question, but I get a lot of comfort from an email confirming race day details, especially when a shuttle is involved.

Expo: None. We did race day packet pick-up, which was a great option, but I think otherwise we would've just stopped by the YMCA to get our packets.

Other Activities: None.

Race Day

Parking: Fine. There were plenty of spots around the park for marathoners, as the half didn't start until much later. I'm guessing a lot of people doing the half probably had to park on the streets in the surrounding subdivision, but we had no issues.

Shuttles: A bus took us from the finish to the start. There was also an option to ride back in the YMCA van following the race, if you parked at the start. (Only one person took this option, while quite a few of us took the bus before the race.)

Bathrooms: Plenty. We were able to wait inside the YMCA until right before the start, so there were lots of indoor bathrooms.

On Time: Exactly on time.

Corrals: None, but not needed. The field was very small, and there was almost no traffic that early on a Saturday.

Course

Type: Point-to-point

Terrain: Concrete, asphalt, rock; country roads and bike paths

Bathrooms: Every few miles, and there was never a wait. 

Crowding: None

Highlights: Stone Bridge Trail, farmland

Support

Course Support: Good. I think some of the volunteers needed a bit more coaching. Some of the water stops were manned by younger kids, and a few of them were just slumped at the table and didn't say anything. They also gave the course marshals flags, but most volunteers were just sort of waving them, rather than pointing. There was also one point some high school volunteers just stared at me and I had to ask which way to go. No one was rude (unlike in Indiana!), but they probably could've used a few pointers.

Spectators: Very few, but it's a hard course to spectate, since most of it is on bike paths. Plus, the map online was static and very zoomed out. I had no idea where we would be, so I doubt any potential spectators did either.

Local knowledge of race: Poor. This is hard to assess for this race, but I'm docking points because, even though there were mile markers all along the bike path, the other users didn't seem to really get that we were racing. A few signs announcing a race was in progress would've been nice.

Post-Race

Food: Bare minimum - I think there was only bananas and bagels. For the price we paid, I'd expect a few more options.

Atmosphere: Calm, but there was no one else really there. The DJ had a great playlist going, though.

Party: None.

Swag

Shirt: Short-sleeve technical T-shirt. It looks really cool and is a nice color. I'll definitely wear it.

Didn't realize it was almost the exact same color as my sheets until just now.

Medal: Not a fan. I don't mind simple, but it looks very cheap. I have all my medals hanging at work, and almost everyone has commented that it looks really out of place with the others.

Age Group Awards: Plain medal. I don't want to sound like a sore loser, but it'd be nice if the medal even had the race name or something on it. I'm probably going to label it so I can remember what it's for.

Final Thoughts

• I'm surprised how much criticism I had for this race. I came away initially liking it, but I forgot just how much we paid for it. For that price, I expect a lot more. If the race had been $30-40 cheaper, I would've been more satisfied with what we got. The RD generally seemed interested in creating a great race, so I'm not sure where the disconnect is coming from.
• They're strongly considering making the course an out-and-back on the bike paths next year. I would give this a big thumbs-down. I do a lot of my runs as out-and-backs on a bike path, and it is mind-numbingly boring. (Point-to-point is still a bit tedious, but at least you're not repeating anything.) Very little traffic control was required on the roads, so I'm not sure what the benefit to making this change would be.
• I think the race is a good representation of Illinois - farmland, but also some forest. While obviously not my favorite, I think it gives you the "Illinois experience."
• There is nothing on the course except water and Gatorade. I appreciate having fruit at at least one stop. For the price, I think they should definitely offer something "extra" at one or two stops.
• We chose this race because the registration fee didn't go up until almost before the race weekend, so it was a good way to hedge our bets while I figured out my work schedule. It is very convenient in that aspect. I suppose if there's some crazy cancellation next year in the fall, this could be a good gap-filler for someone.

Recommendation

• 50 Staters: Eh...if you want to avoid Chicago like me, I'd say this is an adequate race. I don't remember any other small Illinois races really sticking out. I don't think you can go wrong with this race, but you could probably do better.
• Non 50 Staters: I wouldn't travel specifically for this race, but if you go to Chicago to spectate, this could be a fun activity for the day before (there's also the half and 5K options). Otherwise, unless you're local enough to not need a hotel, give it a pass.

YMCA Stone Bridge Marathon Recap

Normally I do a travel post and a race post for each state, but all our non-race activities for Illinois involved visiting my grandparents. Since I figured no one would be that interested in hearing about our adventures in installing closet lights and looking for random items at Jewel, I'll only be writing up the marathon. Try to contain your disappointment.

For Stone Bridge, we had the option of staying in either Beloit, WI, or Rockford, IL. Both were about the same distance from where we would catch the shuttle to the start, but Beloit was significantly cheaper, so we drove a little extra Friday night. There was a pub connected to the hotel with some shady characters, but our room was on the opposite side, so it wasn't too scary. (Though, once again, I didn't get asked for ID. As someone regularly mistaken for a high schooler, this completely baffles me!)

The race offered a shuttle from the finish to the start either before or after the race, but after our debacle at MDI, we always opt to have our vehicle at the finish, if possible. We arrived at Leland Park around 5:45 and picked up our packets from the RD herself. The swag bag actually had a few good items, like gum and men's deodorant. (Don't worry, I'm giving that last one away.)

There was some kind of mix-up with the shuttle, so we had a little bit of time to kill in the car. I still don't know what happened, but Google Maps suggested a different park when you search for Leland Park, so I expect our driver went there on accident. He seemed pretty clueless (had the radio on blasting volume with only static, dropped us in the street instead of the parking lot at the start, etc.), so I doubt he double-checked his directions.

The RD hopped on to go over what would happen once we got to the start, and then we followed her personal vehicle to the Belvidere YMCA. While this sounds like a lame place to start, it was actually pretty awesome. We were all able to wait inside, and there were multiple bathrooms available. Having a full indoor bathroom to myself to deal with some tummy trouble pre-race is a luxury I'm not used to at all. (Hey, at Fargo, I had to use some bushes exposed to the street!)

Bag drop ended up being a cardboard box to be transported to the finish by the RD. This might seem unsecure to some, but the race had such a down-home, Midwestern feel that it didn't even faze me. Michael carried the car keys, per the usual, but I wouldn't have felt uncomfortable checking them.

The race started promptly at 7 AM, right after sunrise. We lined up right outside the Y, and they made several announcements for anyone going for a BQ to line up at the front, since it was a gun start. I really appreciated this touch, as it demonstrated the race officials really understood what's important to runners.

Stole this from last year's race, as I forgot to take my own.

The first 10 miles or so on were on country roads through farm fields. It was in the mid-30s when we started, and it was gorgeous! Everything had frosted overnight, and the sun was rising behind some trees, creating a wonderful glow over the corn.

I so artsy!

The only thing I didn't like about the beginning was having a support vehicle follow us. The race is extremely small, and I was near the back. I was certainly running well ahead of the rolling cut-off, and I wanted to focus on running my own race, but it was stressful to have the bus bearing down on me.

After these first miles, we moved onto the bike path portion. I was a little nervous at first, as the trail is much narrower than the one I regularly run on, but there were few enough runners that it was not an issue. They had advertised that the trails would be closed, and although they weren't, I think we only saw a handful of other users. I'm sure it helped it was still very early on a chilly Saturday morning - hardly ideal cycling weather - and I think every runner besides us was off in Chicago.

There was a short out-and-back section (three miles total), and it came at the perfect place for me mentally. Three miles sounds completely doable at that point in the race, and once you pop back out, you're already at mile 14. Isn't marathon math a fun, messed-up game to play?

Aid stations were plentiful along this stretch, and police were directing traffic at all major crossings. I was definitely towards the back, so a lot of them were relaxing in their cars, but I appreciated that they popped out as soon as they saw me and didn't seemed annoyed at how far back I was. They always made sure to give me the right of way, too.

Though we had to deal with these very dangerous crossings on our own. Only in Illinois.

I had popped on a Tolkien Professor podcast I had been hoarding at mile 8, and it was long enough to get me to mile 20. Paired with the perfect weather (I didn't take my jacket off until mile 16!) and the funny podcast, the marathon was a great way to unwind after a stressful week at work and to wrap up my marathon season.

This time I caught Michael around mile 20, and he said his calves were bothering him and he would see me at the finish. At this point, we also transitioned on the actual Stone Bridge Trail. And it was brutal. I had some flashbacks to the dirt road at Monument, to be honest.

Race's namesake, I presume.

There was a comfortable track to run on, but most of the gravel and dirt was gone, so two or three of the final miles were run on hard rock. My low back was already bothering me a bit at this point, so it was quite painful and required me to really dig deep. It was also here that I heard someone screaming up on me. To my surprise, Michael had caught up to me! We spent the last few miles leapfrogging one another.

Before the race, I had been torn on how fast to run. I had gone for a five hour race in Nebraska and been brutally destroyed by the heat and elevation. I knew my legs were tired, especially after racing a 10K hard the weekend before, but I felt surprisingly good and amped up. I decided to go for five hours again and see what happened.

I really made myself focus on each four mile block, and, for the first time in a marathon, everything finally clicked. I didn't end up meeting my goal, but my splits only dropped in the last 10K once when I stopped to stretch and the last mile when I was a little confused on where to go. Considering when I set my PR at my first marathon I felt absolutely destroyed, I'm incredibly pleased with how this race went! I think I finally know how to get my head on straight and how much fuel to take in (about three times higher than what I had been trying!). I'm also finally comfortable with how much I will suffer if I go out too fast, so it's less scary to try - the consequence isn't exactly fun, but I know I can tolerate that level of hurt.

Towards the end of the race, the only thing I wanted was to get off the damn bike path. I also almost took out a biker when he rolled by at mile 24 and commented that it was "a nice day for a jog." I just about rolled him down the hill, except I only had the energy to sort of huff at him. I'm 99% sure he was only trying to be friendly, but the j-word inspires irrational levels of hatred within me.

Show me a jogger that can get to 25 miles, and I will show you a liar.

We were finally directed off the path with about a half mile to go. The race finished down a hill, so we couldn't see the finish line until we were just about on top of it. There was no 13 mile sign and no volunteers after the final turn, so I was a little nervous we were off course, but it was a simple straight shot.

Finish Time: 5:07:32

The finish line was pretty empty (and the volunteer simply handed us our medals, a huge pet peeve of mine!), but the DJ had a great playlist going. The food options were limited, but adequate, considering the cost of the race. The RD took a picture of Michael and I together, so I forgot to get one on my own camera and can't find hers anywhere, so you'll just have to imagine one.

Look at my sweet medal instead!

After some stretching and relaxing, we headed back to the YMCA to use their showers for free. PSA, they are open-style, but one was hidden behind a wall and no one else came in, so I was able to enjoy a relaxing shower anyways. I really appreciated having this option, since we were switching hotels that night. (And I'm sure my nana appreciated us not being gross during dinner.)

We swung by a BWW for lunch to catch part of the MSU game, and we even got it on the big screen. It was a great way to chill after the race.

I know a lot of people will probably question why we picked this race for Illinois (instead of Chicago), but I have no interest in gigantic, expensive races, and this race did a great job showcasing Illinois. While there were a few hiccups, it's obvious the RD and her staff are knowledgeable about running and want everyone to enjoy their race. I highly recommend this as an alternative to Chicago and as a BQ course.

And this just looks disgusting.