Crazy Running Legs

Living life in moderation...one run at a time

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Excalibur 10-Miler Recap (AKA That Time I Tortured My Husband)

April 15, 2016 by Michelle Leave a Comment

This is a long delayed race post from last month. I swear I will catch up on this blog someday. Maybe.

A few months ago, Dan started running. At first it was just a few miles on the treadmill. Then I convinced him that running outside is much more (it totally is). Then it progressed, mostly because I made it, and we started talking about racing. He thought that he might want to run a 10K. I was excited — yay racing — so I escalated things and decided that we should run the Excalibur 10-Miler. I mean, what’s a few more miles?

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My dad happens to live about 15-20 minutes away from Viera, which is where the race takes place. I convinced Dan that it would be an awesome idea to sign up because we could stay with my dad the night before and not have to worrying about babysitting! I’m not sure he was 100% convinced, but I did sign us both up and he started training. Possibly begrudgingly.

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We drove over to my dad’s the afternoon before the race and picked up our bibs on the way (they also offered race-day bib pick up, which would have just as easy to do). It was quick and simple and before Dan knew it, he was running a 10-miler. Boom.

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The morning of the race was HUMID. Ugh. It wasn’t hot (actually, I think I was a little chilly), but there had been rain the night before and the threat of rain was looming and air stealing. The worst running weather.

The race started with a duel from a few Medieval Times professionals. While it was a good idea in theory — we were standing in a grassy area of the high school and you couldn’t see ANYTHING b/c it was still dark outside. I heard a few swords clinking and then they announced it was a draw. Huh? Then they started the race and we were off.

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But first…

The beginning race was pretty uneventful. I realized once we got to the high school that I had forgot my Garmin at my dad’s (grrrr), so I was just running based on feel. I started out fast and tried to stay in front of the 9 min/mile pacer (side note: I really hate pace groups – I’m sure I’m in a minority — and I always seem to get stuck near them). Around Mile 2, I saw Kindra – one of my MRTT ladies!

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Pretty sure this is the exact moment I realized she was next to me.

I didn’t realize she was running it, so I was SO HAPPY TO SEE HER. I lost her at a water stop a mile later, but found her again before Mile 5.

Miles 5 and 6 killed my race spirit (and Kindra’s too). It was on a dirt/gravel road. Some part of it were soft sand. I didn’t realize this was part of the course and it REALLY slowed me down. The 9 min/mile pace group passed me and I got a little deflated. While I knew the race wasn’t going to be a PR, I knew I could handle 10 miles at a sub-9 pace.

Kindra and I picked up the pace around Mile 7 and ran negative splits (according to K’s watch) until the finish — which could not happen soon enough! My finish time was 1:33:03.

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It was not my best race — and I can definitely say that I wouldn’t have enjoyed this race as much (or at all) if I wasn’t with Kindra. Sole sisters (cheesiest term ever, I know) get you through the good AND the bad!

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I can fit her in my pocket!

As much as I was disappointed in my time, I was more worried about Dan. This were NOT ideal conditions a for first race! I felt bad because I didn’t know about the offroading at all. I probably wouldn’t have picked that as his first race if I had known better!

I ended up not having to worry much. As frustrated as he was about the gravely sand, Dan came pushing through the finish in 1:47:27. His goal was to finish before 1:50 — and he crushed it!

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Finisher!

I am SO proud of him!

Yes!!

I think a part of him really though that 10-miles was impossible — or maybe I was just putting too much pressure on him to run it. Of course, now I’m trying to get him to run a half marathon!!

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After our race, it started sprinkling. Boo weather. Instead of grabbing any post-race food (there was a TON) – we headed to Starbucks and then back to my dad’s for a day at the beach.

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We both decided (well, maybe I decided for the both of us?) that next year instead of the 10-miler would we do the relay. You each run 5 miles AND you get to finish together. The course itself was fine (you start and finish at a high school). The surrounding neighborhoods/golf course are very much like the area I run in every day – so it was comfortable (minus the 2 miles of dirt/gravel/sand, of course).  It wasn’t the WORST race I’ve ever run, but it wasn’t my favorite.

I AM happy to report that while it’s almost been a month since this race, Dan is STILL running. I haven’t convinced him to sign up for any more races (not including the family 5K we are running on April 30th), but I’m sure there’s a race I can secretly sign him up for out there…somewhere.

Filed Under: Races, Reviews, running

Shark Bite Half Marathon {Race Recap}

January 18, 2016 by Michelle 5 Comments

I’ve written extensively about losing my mojo and speed, so I’m just going to spoil this recap by sharing that I finally feel like I’M BACK — well, I finally finished a sub-2 half again. It’s just one race, but this race definitely gave me the confidence to keep pushing. And believe me – I had to push for this finish! But, I’m getting ahead of myself…

So, the race. Yesterday I ran the Shark Bite Half Marathon — my 25th (!) half. It was the Inaugural year and they did a fantastic job!

The start was set for 7:30am. However, bad weather and tornado watches postponed it to 8 — and then to 9:30. The RD and the Shark Bite team wanted to ensure that everyone could arrive at the race safely (the storms passed by 7:30) and I greatly appreciated it!

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I am all about running in any kind of weather, but I kind of draw the line at tornadoes (and lightning – which was also reported in the area). The race was in New Smyrna Beach, which is about an hour away from East Orlando. So this lady and I met up with our crew and headed over.

When we got there, I was a little stressed out about parking, but we easily found a spot and walked a quarter of a mile to the start. I used the porta potty within the first 5 minutes of being there (there were plenty and they were surprisingly very clean – always a bonus) and then we snapped some pre-race photos.

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My work peeps!! Coworkers who run together… bore a lot of other coworkers who don’t care about running.

At the start, it looked like the weather had changed from cool (60’s), rainy, and cloudy – to warm (70) and sunny. Oh, how deceiving that was.

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We started at exactly 9:30 and the RD thanked us for supporting their decision to delay the start. Some people were not able to run the half due to the later start – and they were very accommodating, either giving them the medal anyway (hopefully they still ran some kind of virtual race!) or switching them to the 5K. Gotta love a flexible race team!

Right at the start, I realized how crazy the wind was… when my hat almost flew off.

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I wish I could say it let up, but it only got worse. I was about a half a mile in when I looked to the right and saw the storm clouds. Where the heck were those things hiding?? It started running about 5 minutes later. Not just a drizzle, but full on pelting rain.

Somehow I just kept going. The first two miles were hell, and I wanted to quit. I could not figure out why I was running this race in these conditions. WHY WAS I TORTURING MYSELF. Around mile 3 the rain stopped and something kicked in. I was really enjoying myself and those running endorphins. Mile 5 was extremely happy for some reason. Running is weird.

Did I mention there were bridges? AKA, Florida hills. There were 3 total — a medium-sized bridge at the start (between mile 1-2), an ASS kicker between miles 6-7, and a small one at mile 8. I actually did not mind any of the bridges, but on the ass-kicker bridge I had to hold both my hat and my bib because I thought they were going to be ripped off my body. 27 mph winds say WAH???

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This is the side we ran down — taken as we were heading home.

I have to say though, nothing compared to the wind that hit us at miles 8-10. After the last, small bridge we turned onto a road and ran directly into the wind. At times, I swear I was running in place because the gusts were so intense. I kept hoping for the turn around and it took forever to arrive. I’m pretty sure I screamed more expletives during those miles than I have all month!!

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Every day I’m shufflin’.

Thankfully, once we hit the turn around, the wind was at our backs for the rest of the race and I was able to pick up my pace again!

It wasn’t until Mile 12 that I realized I could sub-2 again. I had kind of given up hope between Mile 9 and 10 – even though I still kept chasing two of my friends who were about a minute in front of me. I think it helped that I really just wanted to be DONE. The wind was killing me and I felt so beat up. When I looked down and saw it was possible, I dug in deep and pushed it. It helped that Return of Mack popped up on my iPhone.

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Please tell me you remember this song.

That’s right — this bitch is back!!

After a brief sprint uphill, I turned the corner and ended up crossing the finishing line at 1:59:21.

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ACK!!! I was so happy!! It’s no where NEAR my PR (1:54:something), but I know I have it in me to push myself again. Confidence is HALF the battle.

My splits…

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After the race I celebrated with some fantastic women and men.

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With our bigass medals.

 

Three of my friends PRs, two receive 10% finisher hats, and the rest of us, while exhausted, all agreed that it was a great race.

It was the kind of race that makes me want to sign up for ALL the races — and I’m ready to sign up for next year!!

Up next is… undecided. I’d like to run a half in February, but I have yet to run one. Hmmm…

Filed Under: Races, Reviews, running

Suck It Up, Buttercup 10K {Race Recap}

July 15, 2015 by Michelle 4 Comments

Oh hey there. Yes, it’s true… I’m still alive. Not only that, but I have my first official race recap of 2015 — because I love running again! I’ve actually been itching to post again about… something… anything… but I just haven’t had the time or energy or something. #excuses

So yeah… back to this race thing.

For the 8+ months I have been missing my racing buddy. She was injured. I hated running. Racing just sounded miserable. The races I did do were fun, but there were missing something. Really someone.

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#favoritepicture

So, for her 29th birthday (it’s a big year!) I bought her the BEST GIFT EVER — a race registration. Not only that but a race register in the middle of the hottest summer we’ve had in YEARS. Oh, and did I mention there were actually hills? (I know, it’s amazing to hear that we actually have some here in Orlando that aren’t just overpasses) Sounds like a great comeback race if you ask me! I started this race weekend making very healthy choices. We went to a fantastic Imagine Dragons show on Friday night in Tampa.

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Bedtime = 2am

I followed it up by going out for drinks and a showing of Magic Mike XXL with a bunch of my lady friends on Saturday night.

Bedtime = 12:30am Healthy choices guys. It’s a priority for me, obviously.

hodakathyleeanderson This means I slept maybe 8 hours in 2 days. I’m smart! So, it’s not surprising that I LITERALLY had to forced myself to get dressed and out the door to pick up Paula by 5am. Yay. Thankfully, race adrenaline kicked in (oh, and an iced coffee helped too!) and by the time we got to the race site, about 45 minutes away, I was wide awake.

We easily picked our bibs and t-shirts, dropped them off at the car, and then had plenty of time to use the porta potty (see Paula’s post for more on this) and mingle. I got there early so I could get into an East Orlando MRTT picture. I’ve only been running with them for a couple of months — but I already love them!

Paula and I also found our co-worker, Leah, who I might have talked into running this race.

We then stood around for a LOOOOONG time. The Race Director was MIA and apparently she needed to be there to kick this shindig off. We were supposed to start running at 6:30 – and it was closer to 7 when we started. But, I guess the good news is that it finally started and we were off.

And it was HOT. So, so hot and SOOOOO humid. It was like running in mud.

Suck it up, we did.

My only complaint (other than the late start) is that the 10k and the 5k started together and it was a cluster. The first mile was such a strugglefest – not just because of the hills (I secretly love hills — my legs can get some good traction!), but becuase of all of all of the bobbing and weaving. However, I kept pushing.

Around the 1st mile the 10K and the 5K split and things got a little easier. By easier, I mean there were less people. This course was still tough. I also managed to catch up with two of girls I run with during the week and chatted with them for a little bit (which I NEVER do during a race — who am I??) before an elastic on one of my braids snapped. EFFFFFFF! I suppose I could have continued on looking like a crazy person, but I was already really gross and sweaty and everything was sticking to me — so I pulled over and stopped (AGAIN — SOMETHING I NEVER DO). Thankfully, I was wearing a hat and I quickly pulled it up into the hat. I still probably lost about a minute. BUMMER.

Even though I lost my girls, I fought hard to keep them in my line of sight. I actually almost caught up to them, but we hit a loooooong incline between mile 4 and mile 5 and I slowed down a little. I was so happy to chase them though because I REALLY think I would have stopped to walk at least 8 times. They seriously kept me going.

After what felt like a million hills, I finally hit the decline towards the finish and all I could think about was how happy I was that this wasn’t a half marathon.

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I finished in 1:02:26 and while that’s a far cry from my PR, I was happy. I am happy.

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A happy person who looks like a toolbag with Paula’s sunglasses on.

I figured that I the humidity added at least a minute per mile to my pace (obvious statement: humidity is a BITCH) — and stopping to fix my damn didn’t help. I’m really just excited that I’m running and happily racing again. I also know that there are PRs to come. I was also excited to celebrate with some lovely running ladies.

That’s Paula’s favorite porta potty right behind us…

While we didn’t have beer (sad!) there was Dunkin Donut and munchkins (and unlike other races – they didn’t run out).

Overall, I really enjoyed this race. Summer races are hard to find here (for obvious reasons!) and I look forward to running this again next year — at an even faster pace.

My next race is still up in the air. I’m thinking about running the Stone Island 10K in August, because it can’t be any worse than the one I just ran! It will probably be just as humid, but at least it’s flat (and the 5K and 10K starts are at different times). After that I have the Lighthouse Loop Half Marathon in October. Could it be a PR?? I’m not holding my breath. But next year?? It’s on.

Oh… and I also discovered that E still really likes medals.

Guess I need to keep running!

<3 <3 <3

Filed Under: Friends, Races, Reviews, running, Uncategorized

Shoe Review – New Balance Foam Fresh Zante

April 24, 2015 by Michelle 9 Comments

A long, LONG time ago (I’m talking when I was in college) — I tried to run/work out in New Balance shoes. I loved how they looked, my friends raved about them, and they got great reviews, but they were always too wide for my skinny/high arched feet – even the narrows didn’t fit right. It bummed me out and apparently shaped my shoe shopping habits for years to come.

Despite the fact that shoe styles change EVERY SINGLE YEAR, I have avoided New Balance shoes because of this. My brain equates New Balance to Wide Shoes. UNTIL NOW.

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I probably would have kept living in ignorance if I wasn’t given the opportunity to review the shoes. And now my life is much more fulfilled. And I’m pretty sure I have a new running shoe.

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Look! I ran! Really! Also – this was safe.

So enough about me…

The Zante shoe is a new addition to the New Balance family. Here are some of the features:

  • Breathable air mesh upper increases airflow during long runs
  • TPU tongue weld improves lockdown support <–I thought the tongue was weird at first, but it works.
  • Sock-like fit hugs the arch to allow toes to spread during movement <– THE BEST!
  • Fresh Foam midsole features a one-piece construction to delivers ultra-plush cushioning
  • Full ground contact outsole improves traction and flexibility

And it’s Specs:

  • Shoe type: Neutral
  • Heel-to-toe drop: 6mm
  • Weight: Women: 6.3oz, Men: 7.5 oz <– Holy cow, this shoe is so light!!
  • Price: $99.99

Running Competitor voted this the Best Road Shoe of 2015 — and I can definitely see why.

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I am the best photographer ever. Also – why is that vein in my wrist so big?

I DID have to buy a Men’s shoe because they didn’t have size 11s in the store (just another perk of having gigantic feet!) BUT that didn’t change my perspective of the shoe AT ALL (Bonus: I wanted black anyways).

When I first put the shoes on I actually thought – “Wow, that’s a tight fit.” I actually had to check that it was truly New Balance. After about a quarter of a mile in them though – they loosened up slightly. They really DO have a sock-like fit, bit it didn’t feel as stiff and constricting. That said, if you have normal-to-wide feet though, I recommend looking into a different width.

The foam part of the shoe felt weird to me at first. It makes the shoe SO light, it’s almost scary. However, they manipulated the shoe to include incredible arch coverage, so it doesn’t necessarily feel like you are running on foam. Now, I don’t know if I could run a full marathon in this shoe (not that I’ll be doing THAT any time soon), but I could definitely run in these for a half.

So…HELLO new running shoes!


Have I mentioned that I have gigantic feet?

The ONLY tough part about this shoe was that it was RIDICULOUSLY hard for me to find! I checked out Academy of Sports and Sport Authority before ONLY finding the Men’s shoe at Dick’s. However, Amazon, Road Runner Sports, and Running Warehouse all have them online — and bonus they have them in really fun colors. I’m pretty sure I need this pair:

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Have you worn the Zante? What did you think?

What color would you pick?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my very own! If the shoes sucked, I promise I would let you know.

Filed Under: Reviews, running, running gear, Sponsored

Switching Shoes {A Continuation of the Mizuno Saucony Shoe Story Saga}

September 4, 2014 by Michelle 20 Comments

So, a while ago I bought and RAVED ABOUT Mizuno Wave Rider 17s.

SOAWESOME

I loved them. I PR’d in them. They were my jam. They made my feet happy!

1:54:14 (unofficial) #bestdamnpr @bestdamnrace

And then I started marathon training.

hot

ugh

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Not only was I running more, A LOT more, I was running more in higher temps. You don’t have to be a genius to realize that in Florida, in the middle of the summer, that shit gets HOT and it tends to destroy things.

This did not make my shoes happy.

Or my feet.

And, especially, my knees.

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My shoes seemed to start wearing early (with less than under 150 miles). I thought, “eh, I’m sure this is normal.”

I kept running. I kept increasing my mileage.

A few weeks ago I reached a weird breaking point and I started wondering why the runs after my 20-miler felt hard. At first, I chalked it up to training just feeling tough because I was adding more mileage and feeling tired. Except, I actually took a cut week, so that didn’t make sense. Then my knees started hurting. And my feet — oh my poor feet were KILLING me. I would just wake up in the middle of the night with them aching.

Then I remembered to check out the outer soles of my shoes.

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A-ha! Parts of my heel and toe were missing – and there was a lot of mid-section wear as well.

I was sad.

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Then I calculated my mileage (I started wearing my shoes at the end of May — I had JUST hit the 2-month mark and maybe 250, if that). W.T.F???

Maybe I’m spoiled, but I’ve never burned through shoes THAT fast before. I felt like I had been cheated, especially because I really LIKED the shoes. The kicker — I didn’t even RACE in those shoes.

So, I did what every person would do when they are angry at a brand for reducing the quality of their product… I found another one.

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Meet my new shoes — Saucony Ride 7s.

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I did a lot of research on these things. I needed shoes that could carry me through the next 100+ miles of training and 26.2 miles on October 12th (OMG, THE MARATHON IS IN 6 WEEKS).

My verdict, so far, is that they run a little shorter than the Wave Riders – so I have to half-size up. BUT, I don’t feel like an old lady after I run. In fact I had one of my best long runs in MONTHS last weekend.

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They are the weirdest shoes in the best way possible – if that makes any sense. They are cushy, but not too cushy. They are light (around 8.5-9oz), but feel substantial. The outer sole is solid and from all of the 90878291 reviews I read – really hold up. I wear custom orthotics, so I can’t talk about the inner sole – but the one time I ran in them without my inserts, they were comfy and didn’t bother my ankle.

I’m hopeful. Which is a good thing since I just ordered another pair that will (if all goes well) be my Chicago Marathon Shoes, next month.

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Imagine these shoes with a TON of names written on them. Can’t wait!

TL;DR version… the running shoe love story saga continues because companies keep changing designs and quality. Or they just like to piss me off and keep things interesting (verdict is still out).

Will I switch back to Mizunos when I’m running half marathons?? Will I try Brooks again? Will Saucony become MY SHOE? Only time will tell.

Shoe love/hate… Which brand has disappointed you the most?? Which brand did you not expect to love/wear?

Filed Under: Chicago Marathon, Marathon training, Reviews, running, running gear, Uncategorized

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Meet Michelle

I'm a working mom of three who somehow became a runner. I also like to eat, drink wine, and laugh. Sometimes I'm dramatic and I definitely don't EVER get enough sleep. Read More…

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