Kim Runs Miles With Smiles

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Army Ten-Miler Race Mantra

For my big races, I like to have a race mantra. For the Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler I had two: "Trust Your Training" and "Run for Stu." For the Nike Women's Half Marathon my mantra was "See the Race, Be the Race."

For the Army Ten-Miler, my mantra is "Run With Gratitude." I have so much to be grateful for:

that I am able to run
the camaraderie and confidence that running has brought into my life
the health of my family
the military men and women who put their lives in harm's way to make the world a better and safer place

And those are just the first few off the top of my head. I will think about many more during the race. Feel free to list your own gratitudes in the comments for me to use as inspiration during the race!

ATM Finisher Coin from 2013

Friday, October 3, 2014

Course Guide for Army Ten-Miler 2014

I kind of can't believe the Army Ten-Miler is just over a week away. Six months ago I was a few days out from the Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler, and I felt way more prepared for the race logistics. I knew the course, I had a plan, I was ready! It certainly helped that my =PR= training program was specifically geared towards training for Cherry Blossom, of course. For ATM, I'm prepared from a training perspective, but haven't given the same kind of attention to the logistics. So it is time to focus on the course and get the lay of the land!

The official course map

Here is my general assessment of the course. I couldn't find an elevation guide anywhere, so I'm guessing a bit on where the hills are based on a very imprecise map I made on Garmin. I know it is imprecise because it mapped my 10-mile race as 11.2 miles. Let's hope I don't run that much on race day!

Mile 1 - start by the Pentagon, run through Arlington on 110.
Mile 2 - past Arlington National Cemetery, across the Memorial Bridge (small hill) and around the Lincoln Memorial. Entertainment: U.S. Army Band!
Mile 3 - along Constitution and up Virginia Ave to the Watergate (steady hill here). Water stop in the beginning of the mile.
Mile 4 - around the Watergate and onto Rock Creek Parkway, past the Kennedy Center, along the Potomac River. Water stop towards the end of the mile. Have GU before water stop! Entertainment: U.S. Army Band (again)!
Mile 5 - along Ohio Drive and onto Independence Avenue. Views of Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, and Jefferson Memorial, as well as the Reflecting Pool and Tidal Basin. Hill somewhere on Independence, perhaps just past pace check clock at mile marker 5.
Mile 6 - More Independence Ave along the Mall (hello, Washington Monument!). At 7th Street, go around the block (water stop) to run back along Independence. Entertainment: Paul VI High School Band!
Mile 7 - More Independence Ave and a turn onto 14th Street. Have GU and drink from hydration belt before the bridge.
Mile 8 - More 14th Street past the Jefferson Memorial and then across the 14th Street Bridge onto 395 (hill to get up highway ramp). Entertainment: Sandy Point Band!
Mile 9 - More 395, Army Navy Drive, Old Jefferson Davis Highway, water stop towards the end of the mile. Looks like a bit of a rough stretch scenically.
Mile 10 - More Old Jefferson Davis Highway, onto Boundary Channel Drive and up to the finish at the Pentagon!

UPDATED! The awesome Tai Fung (I can always count on his twitter feed for entertainment - seriously, you should follow him!) shared his elevation map from last year. The course varies slightly in two places this year (1) in mile 3 the turn towards Virginia Avenue occurs a block earlier (effectively shifting much of the picture below to the left), and (2) the exit from 395 is on the opposite side changing the approach to the finish line over the last mile. Thank you Tai!!

2013 Course Elevation Map, courtesy of Tai Fung

So that's what I know (or at least what I think I know). I would welcome any advice, corrections, and/or additions in the comments since I don't quite know what I'm getting into with this one. I still need to consider additional logistics, like exactly how to get there in the morning, how long security will take, and what to do about the fact that none of the dozens of people I know who are running are in the same corral as me. I have a fun week of prepping ahead of me!

Sunday, September 28, 2014

I Beat my Husband in a Race*

Today Rick and I both ran the Perfect 10 Race and I crossed the finish line first! Of course there is catch...the Perfect 10 lets you pick your "perfect 10" distance, 10k or 10 miles. So I finished my 10k race before Rick finished his 10 miles. I'll take my small victories where I can get them!

I had a lot of pre-race anxiety and I wasn't sure why since this was more of a training run than an all-out race. The night before I couldn't decide what to wear. The weather is just starting to move towards fall temperatures, and I've been making the wrong choices for my last few runs. I know what to wear in the humid heat of summer, and in the chilly cold of winter, but apparently not for perfect fall weather.

For today's run I landed on capris and a short-sleeve shirt. It was warmer than I expected and in retrospect I would have been more comfortable in shorts. One day I'll figure it out! Layers help with uncertainty - I have some Smartwool arm-warmers that are easy to take on and off and tuck into my hydration belt. I didn't need them today, but I find it comforting to have them with me as an option.

Flash photo on the left - look at the reflection in my
purple lock laces shoelaces! I had no idea they did that.

Someone else thought this was the perfect outfit, too!
[photo courtesy Potomac River Running]

In retrospect I realize that my anxiety was because this was my test race before the Army Ten-Miler in two weeks. It was the first race where I was planning to test the run-walk intervals that I've started training with over the past month or so and I was nervous about how well they would work. I'm still having some challenges with my feet going numb from neuromas and I've found that the intervals help a lot during my training runs. I was hoping they would also help for a race (where my "faster" paces tend to bring on the neuromas earlier), and that it wouldn't be too disruptive for runners around me as I moved in and out of running and walking.

Overall the intervals worked well. At my relatively slower pace, there are lots of other people running intervals and transitioning between running and walking, so I didn't have any disruptive transitions. I also got to run with lots of different people as I moved between paces, which was fun!

I started out with Jamie for the first 5-minute run interval. Jamie had already run 3.5 miles leading up to the race and she was running the 10-mile course, so we weren't destined to stay together very long. She also runs faster than I do during our =PR= distance training program long runs. She calmed my nerves during the beginning of race which I was very grateful for, and then I watched her take off as I started my first 1-minute walk interval.

Jamie!
[photo courtesy Potomac River Running]

I ran for a bit with Molly and some of the other Reston Runners at the beginning of the race. I love running with them on Thursday nights and spending even a few moments during the race with them was comforting.

Molly!
[photo courtesy Potomac River Running]

For much of the race I was in the vicinity of Kim and her fellow South Riding Moms Run This Town chapter members. They were running 2:1 intervals so our watches would beep together when my 5:1 intervals signaled. They were fun and entertaining and I loved seeing them throughout the race. Kim is running the Army Ten Miler and I hope to run into her there.

more awesome South Riding MRTTs
[photo courtesy Potomac River Running]

Kim from South Riding MRTTs
[photo courtesy Potomac River Running]

I ran with Tina and Angela a couple of times during this race. They had awesome superhero costumes - Wonder Woman & Supergirl!

A super-run for these super-heroes!
[photo courtesy Potomac River Running]

I ran with Laurie for about a mile in the middle of the race. Laurie is in the Reston Runners group and I really enjoyed talking to her. This was the part of the race where I felt like I was hitting my stride and really having fun.

Laurie made a shoulder sling when her waist-pack got annoying
[photo courtesy Potomac River Running]

My left foot went numb around mile 2.5, which was frustrating. I loosened my laces during one of my walk intervals and tried to shake it off. It persisted for a bit, and after about a mile when I was running and chatting with Laurie I realized the feeling had come back and it was fine for the rest of the race. I don't think it will every completely go away but I seem to be figuring out how to manage it.

Before the race I met Susan, who I know from twitter. It was great to meet her in person and I hope to see her at a race again soon. I was a tongue-tied anxiety-ridden mess before the race when I met her. I hope she doesn't think I'm a complete dork! (I'm only a partial dork...)

Susan, aka SuperHokieGirl, rocking the heart patterns!
[photo courtesy Potomac River Running]

After the race I saw Tracy who was in the distance training program with me this past winter. She ran the Pittsburg half marathon earlier this year. Tracy is also running the Army Ten-Miler and we have similar paces so I'm hoping to see her during the race, too.