Monday, October 26, 2015

Back to the Blue

Boise State Alumni, Boise State Blue Turf, Boise State Cheerleaders, Boise State Bleymaier Football Center

This past weekend was Homecoming at Boise State University, and—being a BSU graduate and cheerleading alumnus—I was invited back to The Blue to take part in our annual Spirit Squad gathering with the current and former team members.

We all got together Friday night at the band hall, our old practice stomping grounds, and talked over Hors d'oeuvres while we went back in time looking at all the old cheer and dance team photographs. Man, how time flies! We then took the short walk over to tour the new Bleymaier Football Center, Boise State Football's new training complex, for a room-by-room tour of the $22 million dollar facility. To say that it was grand would be an understatement. Those players are livin' the life in their new digs, and I couldn't be more excited for what a huge recruiting tool this will be for the Broncos.

The evening culminated with a silent auction and hugs all around. It was so nice to reconnect with some of my former teammates and friends and to see all the neat things they're doing with their lives now. I mean, it's been seven years since I cheered for Boise State and five years since I graduated. I can't believe where time has gone!

See photos from our evening below:

Boise State Alumni, Boise State Football, Boise State Cheerleaders, Boise State Bleymaier Football Center
Touring the new, beautiful Bleymaier Football Center. Boy, it was grandiose!
Boise State Alumni, Boise State Football, Boise State Cheerleaders, Boise State Bleymaier Football Center
The auditorium where the players watch film. We got a sneak-peek to the video the players would watch before the Wyoming game. How neat!
Boise State Alumni, Boise State Football, Boise State Cheerleaders, Boise State Bleymaier Football Center
Their weight room. It came fully stocked with a "snack shack" that was more like a mini grocery store.
Boise State Alumni, Boise State Football, Boise State Cheerleaders, Boise State Bleymaier Football Center
The locker room, which felt like Vegas. It was legit.
Boise State Alumni, Boise State Blue Turf, Boise State Football, Boise State Cheerleaders, Boise State Bleymaier Football Center
Protect The Blue! Yeah buddy!
Boise State Alumni, Boise State Blue Turf, Boise State Cheerleaders, Boise State Bleymaier Football Center
I got to bring my handsome man with me to this fun event. He—a big-time Bronco football fan—loved it!
Boise State Alumni, Boise State Cheerleaders
Former teammates and our past coach on The Blue!
Boise State Alumni, Boise State Cheerleaders
Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader.
Boise State Alumni, Boise State Blue Turf, Boise State Cheerleaders, Boise State Bleymaier Football Center

Thanks so much to the current Spirit Squad coach, the volunteers who helped put the event together, and to BSU for letting us come celebrate Homecoming in style with an amazing tour and super-fun evening. Go Broncos!

Monday, October 19, 2015

Freakin' Fast Marathon

Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner

Of course I wasn't done racing for the year, of course I wasn't! A mere 6-days after racing in the City of Trees Marathon, I competed in yet another marathon—the Freakin' Fast Marathon!

Similarly to the City of Trees, I hadn't intended to run this race, but the day after signing up for City of Trees (three weeks ago), I was asked to run the Freakin' Fast. Oh man, the thought of two marathons in less than one week's time? No way, dude! While I initially said no—considering that I hadn't trained and adding not one but two marathons sounded super daunting—I changed my mind this last week in a "runner's high" moment and said once more, "Why not?!"

The Freakin' Fast Marathon is known as the "second fastest marathon in the world" and is a Boston Marathon qualifying course. The course begins at the top of Bogus Basin ski mountain and drops over 4,000 feet to the finish at Julia Davis Park in the heart of downtown Boise. The only difference between the Freakin' Fast Half Marathon (which I ran in July) and the full is that the full starts up the hill a little farther and ends in the city. Same great course, same great race directors, same stinkin' crazy runners.

To be honest, when thinking back on my experience with the half—in which I placed as the 1st Overall Female with a time of 1:17:23—and the fact that it took me three entire weeks to get my legs back to normal after the intense post-race soreness I experienced, I cannot believe I actually agreed to do this race. I just re-read my Freakin' Fast Half post, and I surprisingly seem to have left out the insane soreness and recovery time that my body hit me with after that race. Dude. It was a killer. It was one of those, "I will NEVER do anything like this again," kind of races. And yet... there I was, subjecting myself to another bout of torture.

The race began at 8:00 am on Saturday morning, and I was sitting on a bus to be hauled up the hill at 6:00 am, oatmeal in my tummy and antsy legs itchin' to get started. When we gathered at the start line, the first thing I noticed was the smaller crowd that usual (about 80 people). The good news was that if I was crazy for doing this race, at least these other folks were crazy enough to do it, too! We started running at the honk of a car horn (yeah, Idaho!), and we were off.

The race was so scenic and surprisingly fun! We have a big wildfire going on right now, so I was fortunate that the hazy air and red-air conditions didn't irritate my lungs. One thing that I did differently with this race was start out a bit slower than I'm used to (about 7:15/mile), to ensure I didn't totally die at the end like I have been doing lately. 7:15-minute miles are actually faster than my usual full marathon pace, but considering the downhill slope of this race and the fact that my last race on this course was a 5:54/mile average—this was taking it easy. To ensure I kept this pace, I ended up running with a nice guy from Northern Idaho for the first 9-miles. A little worried of pushing it too hard and running two marathons so close together fueled my mantra for this race, which was "God please guide me," and guide me he did! Every time I felt a little twang of pain or something start to tighten, I slowed down. Mentally, that was challenging—but physically, it sure paid off!

The course wound down through the foothills with aid stations every few miles. Unlike most of my other races, I made it a point to stop at each aid station for a small sip of water. Staying hydrated definitely helped keep me on a good foot. I was able to make it through the whole race with a very good mental attitude and positive spirits. I had a pretty hard time at the last race after about mile 20, but the soreness and mental fatigue didn't hit me at this race until mile 24—and I was on the home stretch by that point! I will say that running the last six miles on flat terrain after just pounding the downward slopes for 20 miles was rather challenging, but slowing down and taking the first part easier helped out tremendously.

When I saw the finish, I began my kick. I was so excited to be done. I ended up finishing in 3:06:58 (7:08/mile average) and won 1st Overall Female and finished 7th overall. Woo-hoo! I had just earned another Boston Marathon qualifying time and a new PR by 9-minutes and 45-seconds! I ran straight into Daniel's arms for a huge hug and then straight over to the refreshments table where I snagged a huge cup of candy. A worthy trophy, indeed!

See photos of the race below!

Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner
The cute race shirt and matching bib.
Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner
Gathered at the start as the sun was coming up and chatting with my friend Tanya. We were ready to run!
Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner
And we're off! 10-steps in, only 26.2 more to go! Yikes!
Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner
So, funny story here. At this point, I'm running with this guy Ben. He and I go left at the fork in the road, following the six people in front of us. Guess what? It was the wrong direction. See the guys behind us? Check the next caption...
Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner
These guys realized that we, as well as the six people ahead of us, went THE WRONG WAY! Look how concerned they are! And we were too far away for them to stop us! So they did what any respectable runner would do and they went "right,"—the right way! Too bad for us, right? Ha! Fortunately, my new running buddy looked back and noticed these guys heading off in the opposite direction and he let me know. We stopped—dead in our tracks—and looked left (at the first six guys), then right (at everyone else going the right way), and then at each other like "Which way's the right way?" We then realized we had taken a wrong turn so we started running again, frustrated at ourselves and trying to recover the time and distance we had lost. See next caption!
Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner
Here we are... trying to make up for our little detour. So technically, since I finished 7th overall, I was actually the very first one to finish the entire course as the first six guys missed out on about 1.5-miles of the course. Whoops! But, as they are all men of integrity, they were very quick to tell the race director about the mishap, so while their times may be a little skewed, each ended up running more once they got to the finish to make up for the initial loss.
Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner
There we are, all smiles as we have finally made up ground and gotten back on the right path!
Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner
I loved this race because I was so happy during the whole thing! Each race, I set a goal to just feel good during the race with the intention of not trying to pressure myself to take a certain place or run a certain time. And this race—I actually did it! I was all smiles the whole race (well, until mile 24 anyway). 
Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner
As I made a point to stop at almost every aid station, I was thrilled to find that each one had not only water and Gatorade, but also CANDY! I've never been to a race that had candy at every station, and I tried to grab a couple pieces each time I grabbed water so by the end I'd had a few Mike & Ike's, sour gummy worms, and Sour Patch Kids and I have to say—candy is my new absolutely favorite intra-workout re-fueling treat! Carbs are carbs and these ones gave me just the quick-acting sugar I needed! And gosh—isn't that medal great? It's 5.5 inches of awesome... what a reward!
Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner, 1st Place Overall Female
The feeling I was experiencing during this photo cannot be explained. If you've run a marathon, you know the feeling. It's not about winning 1st Place Overall Female. It's not about the new PR by almost 10-minutes. It's not about the trophy or the medal or the title. It's about the feeling that you have simply done it—you've pushed your body further and farther than you ever could have imagined. This is literally a photo of my runner's high.
Freakin Fast Marathon, Fastest Marathon in the World, Marathon in Boise, Downhill Marathon, Boise Runner
I had so much fun connecting with a fellow Boisean and Instagram friend, Mandi after the race. She and I have supported each other via social media for the last few months and I met her at the City of Trees Marathon. She was volunteering at this one so we got to hang out for a bit post-race! I love meeting other local runners!

I loved this race for a couple of reasons. 1—It was a beautifully scenic course, offering panoramic views of the entire Treasure Valley for most of the race. 2—The weather was divine... decently sunny, not too hot, and a little breezy. 3—While the downhill wreaked havoc on my legs post-race (I can barely walk today and don't foresee it being an easy task for the next several days), since I paced myself and didn't go as fast as usual, it was a rather comfortable race. 4—The crowd and race directors for this race were so supportive. It's always fun running an extreme race like this one because the people who come out to participate are all as crazy as you are! 5—This race (and I know my husband likes this, too!) should be my last big race of 2015. Yes—I'm finally doing it. I'm going to give my body a much-needed break and—while I still intend on working out daily—I do not have anything big I'm training for so I can just focus on repairing and strengthening over the winter.

Speaking of repairing... my legs are beyond shot from this race. Sitting, standing, walking, bending over, even laying down... it all hurts. That "freakin'" run... freakin' fast, freakin' awesome, freakin' glad it's over!

Monday, October 12, 2015

City of Trees Marathon 2015

City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Matching Race Outfits

This past weekend I had the opportunity not only to compete in my second full marathon, but I got to run in a race with my mom and sister! Originally, I had planned on running The City of Trees Marathon by myself because I thought my mom was going to be out of town, so I went ahead and registered for the full with the rationale of "Why not? I've trained for half marathons all year so let's see what I can do," fueling my fire. When my mom and sister found out I signed up for the full 26.2, they figured they needed to get in on the action and register for the half! So my sister, who lives in Seattle, flew in and the three of us were able to run our very first race together!

The marathon began at 8:00 am with the half beginning an hour later at 9:00 am. Marnie and Mom went with me to the start, cheering me on as the starting horn sounded. The marathon's course (which had changed since I ran it in 2013), took us west on the Boise River Greenbelt for half of the race and then joined back up going east with the half marathon route. What was cool was that I got to run past my mom and sister along the course! I really liked that aspect of the out & back course... there was almost always someone around you, no matter what distance or mile you were running.

My sister and my mom ended up having a great race, finishing in 1:54:08. This was my sister's first half marathon, and—despite what she's telling us at this moment—I don't believe it will be her last! She and my mom were a dynamic team and I'm so glad they got the chance to run together.

Despite only training for half marathons this year, I figured I'd be in okay enough shape to be able to complete the full. I set out with a goal in mind of 3:30 (8:00/mile average), 5-minutes under the Boston Qualifying time for my age group. I ended up having a better race than I had planned for (until about mile 22 that is!) and finished as the 2nd Overall Female with a time of 3:16:43, averaging exactly 7:30/mile. I definitely set out just to run this race and didn't intend on competing or placing, so I was absolutely surprised to take home a beautiful handmade trophy and a BQ, which I exceeded by almost 20-minutes! Woo-hoo!

As I have a mantra with every race, this race was not about placing, or winning, or anything fancy. At about mile 20—when it started to hurt—I began repeating over and over, "This is MY race." The intent behind the mantra was that I wasn't doing it for anyone else but myself. I didn't care about the place, or the pace, or anything... I just wanted to do this for me. And I tell you what, that mantra helped carry me through the finish. That, and A LOT OF PRAYER—of course!

See more photos from the race below, captured by my sweet husband and brother-in-law, who cheered the three of us on the entire way!

City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Matching Race Outfits
Mom and Marnie cheered me on at the start! It was a bit chilly to begin with but quickly warmed up to a comfortable temperature. We were ready to run!
City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Boise Races, Running in Boise
Marnie was in Brooks, Mom in Saucony, and I'm in New Balance!
City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Boise Races, Running in Boise
All lined up at the start! My husband asked, "Why do you always start in the front?" My response was, "Why not—someone's gotta do it?!"
City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Boise Races, Running in Boise
I was fortunate to run about 10-miles with this superstar, Audrey, who was running her very first marathon and ended up winning 1st Overall Female with a time of 3:06. She came up behind me around mile 7 and asked if we could run together. Not only did we run, but we chatted and kept each other around 7:05/mile splits for about 10 miles. I was ready to slow it down just a bit (aka I couldn't hold that pace any longer) around mile 18 so she took off and totally killed it! She was a doll and I was so glad to be able to get to spend some time with her.
City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Matching Race Outfits
One of my favorite shots of the day. I had just high-fived my mom as she and my sister were heading into their last few miles. I still had plenty to go but it totally jazzed me up to get to see them along the course!
City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Boise Races, Running in Boise
Coming around to the finish. I was so excited to be done! My pace at this point was definitely about 9:00/mile... every step felt like that could be my last. I was toast!
City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Boise Races, Running in Boise
Running across the finish. I achieved 2nd Overall Female with a time of 3:16:43 (7:30/mile average), a new personal record by 47-minutes!
City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Marathon PR
The awesome award, which was hand-crafted! Isn't it beautiful?
City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Boise Races, Running in Boise
The post-race "Yeah!" pose! 
City of Trees Marathon, City of Trees Half Marathon, Matching Race Outfits
I couldn't have asked for a better race. A BQ and a family event? It just doesn't get much cooler.

While I definitely didn't anticipate earning a Boston Qualifying time, I truly didn't anticipate what mental game the race was going to be. I definitely cruised through the first 20 miles, but the last six were very, very mentally and physically challenging for me. Earning a BQ is—to me—a true honor in itself. Now, whether or not I'll actually run the Boston Marathon... that's a whole different conversation. I am not certain what this next year holds for racing, military training, or vacation plans, so I don't anticipate making that decision quite yet. All I know for now is that it's pretty darn cool that I was at least able to qualify.

My true favorite part of this race wasn't the medal or the award or the BQ or the freakin' awesome sweatshirt (which is really why I signed up for the race in the first place). My favorite part was seeing my mom and sister on the course, high-fiving them as I ran through the finish, and getting to have my sister come be a part of this family race tradition my mom and I have started. When you love doing something so much and you are able to share it with the people you love so much, there's just something there that makes your heart quadruple in size.

I'm not yet certain whether this is my last race for 2015 or not, but regardless, it was an awesome one. COT for the win!

Monday, October 5, 2015

A Full Marathon Sounds Like A Good Idea

Boise Runner, Air Force Runner, Half and Full Marathon Runner

As my 2015 race season nears its end, I couldn't help but register for another race. The City of Trees Marathon is coming up this weekend and while I had fully intended on running the half, something kept urging me to push myself and go for the full marathon.

ran the full with my mom two years ago (the only full marathon I've done), and we came in at just over four hours. Since I'm flying solo for this race (my sister is flying in to do the half with my mom!), I decided to go ahead and just go for it... I registered for the full 26.2. Nope, I haven't trained for it. Nope, I won't run anything farther than the FitOne Half Marathon before it. Nope, I'm not trying to win it. I just want to run it and see what I can do. So run it I shall.

And I'm so excited that this will be the first race us three girls will run together as a family! Think I'm crazy for opting for the full without training for more than a half? We'll find out in one week!

AddThis