Race Recap & Review: Pittsburgh 5k

Earlier this month, I ran the 5k during the Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend as part one of the Steel Challenge: complete the 5k on Saturday and any race on Sunday (half, full, or relay) and earn extra bling for being a runner of steel.

Flat runner for a 3.1 mile journey through Pittsburgh.

Saturday morning in Pittsburgh brought high humidity but cool temperatures- it made for an absolutely gorgeous sky.

Good morning, Yinz!

Before the race, I went to the We Run Social meet-up and chatted with new (and old!) friends. I love pre-race meet-ups because they help keep my mind off any nervousness I have going on. Even though I had no time goals for this race, I was still having a bout of pre-race nerves. Sometimes it just happens. 😩

Running + friends = best day ever.

As the race start time (8 AM) got closer, Matthew and I decided to make a port-o-potty run. We headed towards the bathrooms (and the starting corrals) like we've done for each of the other four years we've run this race and we realized something- the starting line was going in the complete opposite direction as we thought it would be!

This year the marathon was celebrating its 10th year and (I guess?) in celebration of a decade of running, the 5k course was 100% backward from what it's been the last four years we've done it.

So, we were standing in the port-o-potty line that was actually at the very front of the race instead of in the very back of the race. Luckily for us, the line went quickly and we had enough time to pee and then walk all the way to the starting corrals.

Matthew and I decided to run this race separately as he wanted to run for time. I dropped him off in the middle of the pack with the rest of our ohana, grabbed a quick selfie, and then made my way towards the back of the pack to start.

Do we look ready to race? Because we totally are.

Just after 8 AM, I crossed the start line and began my 5k route through the city. Basically, this course was the exact opposite of the course in years past. I actually really liked not quite knowing where I was going- it makes the race more unpredictable and exciting for me!

The course featured the same sweeping views of the city as it always had, just from another angle. There were also fewer bridges this year; I believe we only crossed one due to some construction in the downtown area blocking the other bridges. Regardless, I loved the new course.

Does it get much better than this?

I also quite literally ran into friends Lauren and Chelsea towards the end of the race. I was able to grab a few photos of them before crossing the bridge and heading to the finish line.

Love seeing friendly faces on the course.

Almost there!

I gave one last final push to finish the race and crossed the line in 33:53, average pace of 10:32 minutes per mile. For once, I actually negative split appropriately! 11:08/10:46/10:14 splits. I felt really good after the race and was proud of the fact that I had a race strategy and executed it well. Though I had no specific time goal, I did want to have negative splits and an overall pace under 11:30- done and done.

Will run for bling.

After collecting my medal and bottle of water and meeting up with Matthew and our running ohana, we headed through the Finisher's Festival and down to Point State Park to relax a bit before heading back to Steff and Joe's house- our awesome friends who always host us for Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend.

I'm a sucker for a good fountain.

With the half marathon the next day, we spend the rest of Saturday hanging out and then had a low-key dinner at Steff and Joe's with new and old friends.

I really enjoyed the new 5k course this year and loved having a fun way to shake out my legs before the second part of the Steel Challenge- a 13.1 mile journey through the meanest hills of Pittsburgh. This race is definitely a great addition to Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend- if you're ever in Pittsburgh during the first weekend in May, this is one not to be missed!


What's one of your favorite 5k races?

{almost} Wordless Wednesday

Hi friends! It's the middle of the week which means... Friday is close!

In lieu of missing a few Accountability Mondays, today's post is a little visual representation of what's been happening in my world over the last two weeks.

Wanna eat vanilla icing on your run? Try this limited-edition GU- tastes just like birthday cake icing!
Thanks for the sample, StrideBox! 

Fastest 5K EVER! Now to just do it in a race. 😏

Seen on my run last week. Grateful to finally see the sun.

That finish line feeling sometimes looks like agony. 😂
Trailfest 2018 should have been called Sufferfest 2018. More on that in a future post.

Extra thankful for this guy (and craft beer) these days.

Have a great rest of the week!

Race Recap & Review: Capital 10 Miler

Last weekend, I finally got the chance to run the Capital 10 Miler in Harrisburg, PA. I volunteered for this race in 2015 and it's been on my "race bucket list" for a while.

I hadn't run a 10 mile race in four years; the last time was in 2014 at the Mission 10 Miler. That race brought a 2:06:55 finishing time; a time that I knew I could beat, once I decided to run a 10 mile race again.

Volunteering at packet pick-up in 2015.

For $50, I registered online for the Capital 10 Miler five days before the event. This race benefits the Open Stage of Harrisburg, a neat theater built into the bottom of a parking garage in the city of Harrisburg. The race is advertised as walker-friendly (as walkers could start at 8:15 while runners started at 9) and flat and fast.

On Saturday morning, I arrived to City Island (race start/finish) around 8:05, easily found a place to park, and then walked to the start to pick up my packet. Because of the time I arrived, I also got to cheer on the walkers as they started their race.

Packet pick-up was a breeze. I used the port-a-potties, checked out some merchandise from Run PA, and then headed back to the car to stay warm before the race started. I love smaller races- I didn't have to spend 40 minutes shivering in the cold waiting for a race to begin!

A view of Harrisburg across the Susquehanna River, taken from my vantage point on City Island.

Around 8:45, I left my car and walked the short distance to the starting line. While waiting to begin, I thought about what my goals would be for this race. My "C" goal was just to finish, as always. My "B" goal was to beat 2:05 and thus have a new PR from the 2014 race. And my kinda secret "A" goal was to finish in less than 2 hours. I typically don't put those kind of goals out into the universe; they usually stay in my thoughts, typically sorted as wishful thinking. But for whatever reason, right before the start, I posted to instagram and added my time goals.

Longest race since #wdwmarathon25 today- Capital 10 Miler. A goal is sub-2. B goal is sub-2:05. C goal is to finish. Let's go!

A post shared by Sarah (@sparklyrunner) on Mar 31, 2018 at 6:11am PDT

Since this race had a relatively small field, about 500 runners, in no time at all, we were all across the starting line and starting our 10 mile journeys!

We began with an almost mile loop around City Island. I wanted to keep the first few miles at or around 12:00 min/mile pace so I started running conservatively. About a quarter of a mile in, I looked behind me and there was only one runner and the medical personnel on bikes- that was it. My plan of starting slow was working!

Proof that my feet do leave the ground when I run! Photo: Bill Bonney Photography

We hit mile one as we crossed the Walnut Street Bridge to the main part of Harrisburg. I looked at my watch- 11:27. Too. Damn. Fast. Even though I felt like I was going slow, I clearly wasn't going slow enough. So I decided to slow down even more to hit my target pace of around 12:00 minutes/mile.

Race route courtesy of my Garmin Forerunner :-)

The next few miles of the race were along the Susquehanna River and on a trail called "the Greenbelt." I was familiar with this part of the race since the Greenbelt is also included in the Harrisburg Half Marathon. My slow-down plan was working- miles 2, 3, and 4 were 11:50, 11:55, 11:39, respectively.

Bridges are my fave. Photo: Bill Bonney Photography

I hit mile 5 in just under an hour- my "A" goal was within reach! I knew if I just kept my paces under 12:00, I would be able to finish this race under 2 hours. From mile 5 on, I kept my mind distracted by calculating what time I'd need to reach the next mile marker to keep it under 12:00 minutes- I was actually shooting for 11:45 min/miles and that made the math more difficult in my head :-)

Part of the Greenbelt- and a train!

Runners passing each other on the sometimes very narrow trail.

What a beautiful day for running!

Around mile 6.5, I saw a group of people standing on the side of the race course- in running clothes and bibs- just casually drinking a beer. I figured they had already finished the race and were out cheering for other runners. But then one yelled to me, "Hey! Want a beer?" Obviously, you already know the answer to that question. :-)

I grabbed a Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale and kept moving. I mean, I love craft beer, but I also had a PR to chase!

Mid-race beer is so refreshing.

I kept trucking along and hit mile 7 feeling great. Since there were only 3 miles left, I knew I could safely pick up the pace and not burn out too soon. I dug deep, starting running faster during my running intervals (my usual 30:30), and kept my focus on the finish line. My splits for miles 5 and 6 were 11:28 and 11:33.

Miles 7 (11:28) and 8 (11:20) were out and back on a bridge and then we turned back down the road towards the Walnut Street Bridge and the finish on City Island.

Knowing I only had two miles to finish, I poured everything I had into my legs and asked them to keep going to mile 10.

Heading back towards the city around mile 8.

As I raced towards the finish line, I took a glance at my watch for mile 9- 10:49. Holy crap! I just ran a 10:49 mile after 8 miles! This was the last bit of confidence boost I needed as I hustled towards the finish line.

I ran the last little bit on the river, turned left onto the Walnut Street Bridge, and then ran onto City Island to the finish line. I stopped my watch right after I crossed the finish- 1:53:56 with a last mile split of 10:10. I couldn't believe it- I had not just made my "A" goal; I'd absolutely crushed it! And ran a 10:10 mile after 9 miles!

I grabbed my medal and a bottle of water and then cried- I had a new 10 mile PR! It's been almost two years since I had any type of PR and this one was so unexpected. And I cut over 12 minutes off my previous 10 mile time.

They had a ton of food out for the runners- bagels, cookies, chips, fruit, etc. I grabbed a banana, took one last look at the Run PA shirts (and maybe bought one for Matthew!), and then headed back to my car.

Such a great race!

Overall, this was well-organized race. Everything about it was low-key and easy and I really enjoyed the course. While it was narrow at some points, I never felt too crowded because the field size was small. Would I do this one again? Absolutely! Flat, fast, cheap, and the potential of spectators with craft beer?! Sounds like a perfect race for me. If you ever find yourself in south central PA in late March, definitely check this one out.

And thank you for all of your comments and encouragement on social media last weekend- thanks for cheering me on!

Thank you! PRs are always better celebrated with friends!

So there you have it- the Capital 10 Miler is a beautiful race and a great place to get a 10 mile PR!



Have you ever run a 10 mile race? What do you think of that distance?

Accountability Monday: 4/2/2018

Good morning and happy spring! It's finally April! 

It almost feels like warmer weather is near!

I don't know about you, but I am ready for spring and new beginnings in the worst way! These past few winter months have been a struggle- I don't know why, but I've been slacking on workouts, eating healthy, tracking my food, etc. My pants don't fit anymore and I'm not super happy with how I look or feel these days. I think I'm up about seven pounds from this time last year but it feels like 20. 

Mood.

BUT! Something super cool happened this weekend- I got a new PR for the 10 mile distance!!!

PRs make me smile :-)

I'll write a full recap of the race later, but wow, what a day! I can't believe I got a new PR by over 12 minutes! There's something about crushing goals that makes you feel unstoppable; suddenly those seven pounds don't feel as heavy :-)

Training

Tuesday: 4 rainy miles on the trail, 11:15 pace

Thursday: 3.1 miles in new Altra Duos, 10:35 pace

Saturday: Capital 10 Miler race, 1:53:56, 11:24 pace

Solid week of running, solid week of fast (for me) paces, not-so-solid week of strength or cross training. 

Did you know the Altra Duos have the power of levitation? ;-)

Best Run

The Capital 10 Miler was phenomenal- I felt so fast and strong, especially the last three miles. Check out those splits- I ran a 10:10 after nine miles!

Bravo Moment

Last week at work was unnecessarily stressful- I chose to run instead of eating my feelings on Thursday evening. That's a win in my book. 

Quote of the Week

This one popped up in my instagram feed from Runner's World; so appropriate given this weekend's race. I can't wait to shatter more mental blocks and grind out some more PRs!

Have a great week, friends!

WDW Marathon Weekend 2018 Recap: Part I

This recap will cover the WDW Marathon Weekend expo. Stay tuned for recaps of the 5k, 10k, Cigna Blogger Event, the WDW Half Marathon, and the WDW Marathon!

The Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend holds such a special place in my heart; in 2014 I ran my first marathon as part of the Dopey Challenge (and met all of my running ohana for the first time in person!), in 2015 I got to finish my dad's first marathon with him, and in 2017 Matthew and I ran the full marathon together and then celebrated on a cruise ship. So many great memories are made during this weekend and 2018 was no exception.

For 2018, Matthew and I flew down to Orlando on a Tuesday. We always like to schedule our flight to come down a few days before the first race (5k on Thursday) just in case our flight would get delayed or canceled- we'd still have some time to catch a later flight or arrange other travel arrangements.

This year we stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter which was the first time we didn't stay at a value resort for this particular race weekend- we'd actually stayed at French Quarter for my first runDisney race, the Princess Half Marathon in 2012.

When we got to Disney on that Tuesday, it was too cold to swim (our original plan) with temps in the 40's, so we unpacked a bit and then took the river boat at the resort to Disney Springs instead.

French Quarter is the most beautiful hotel on Disney property. Matthew's not too bad either ;-)

Lucky for us, we were able to meet up with Dani and Tori for dinner at Blaze. The last time we saw them was at our wedding a year and a half ago so it was so awesome to catch up with them before the hustle and bustle of race weekend started. Fun fact, we first met Dani during WDW Marathon Weekend 2014!

Internet friends are the best kind of friends!

After browsing lots of shops at Disney Springs, we said our goodbyes to our friends and headed back to French Quarter to get a good night's sleep before the expo the next day.

On Wednesday morning, Matthew and I went for a short shake-out run around French Quarter and its sister resort, Port Orleans Riverside. There is a 1.7 mile long river-front path that connects the two resorts- I'd argue it the most runner-friendly resort on Disney property. In fact, after staying there for WDW Marathon Weekend, I can confidently say that this resort is my favorite place to stay in Disney :-)

After our run, we got showered and then headed to the buses to get to the expo- it opened at noon and we were able to get on a bus at 11:30 am. We arrived to Wide World of Sports (WWOS) a few minutes after noon.

As soon our bus pulled into WWOS, it started pouring down rain. With temps in the 40's, the rain made it feel 15 degrees colder! We got up towards the building to get Matthew's Dopey Challenge bib and there was a long line outside the HP Field House. So we waited. In the rain. And the wind. It was an unpleasant 15 minutes until we finally got inside.

All smiles... before we saw the lines. 

Once inside, Matthew picked up his bib, got his picture taken (for the challenge medals), and then picked up his race shirts. We thought then we'd be able to go down to the floor level to see the official merchandise like we had in year's past- we were wrong.

Check out that sweet poncho :-)

Official merch area. The line to check out is on the left side.

New for this year, runDisney only allowed a certain number of people into the official merchandise area at a time- similar to a night club. Naturally, a line formed to get into the merch area.

So, we followed directions from cast members and went outside the building to wait in the merchandise line...

Eventually that line circled the field behind it.

...until a cast member told us the estimated wait time was two hours. Two. Whole. Hours. Just to look at shirts and magnets and mugs?! In the freezing cold rain?! No thanks.

We passed on the official merch and headed to the Visa Athletic Center to pick up my bibs and shirts. Once I picked up my bibs and race shirts (which was SUPER easy), we headed to runner relations to see if I could upgrade to the Goofy Challenge. Since I'd registered for the half marathon and marathon separately, I wasn't technically running the Goofy Challenge- I would have had to register for the challenge on its own, not just register for the two separate races. At the runner relations booth, I explained my situation and asked the runDisney staff member if I could possibly be entered into the Goofy Challenge- I told her that I really didn't need the Goofy Medal, I really just wanted the shirt. She told me I couldn't be entered into the challenge but that I could go buy a shirt over in the other building. Whomp, whomp.

Banners hanging inside the Visa Athletic Center.

After that disappointing encounter, we headed into the aisles of booths at the expo. We chatted up folks at the Altra booth (Hi, Kyle!) and waited in line to meet Jeff Galloway- always a favorite at runDisney events! I snagged a clearance Raw Threads tank for $15 (!), a fun pair of rainbow shwings for my shoes from Sparkle Athletic, and a bunch of free food samples :-)

Always making friends.

After visiting all the places we wanted, we headed outside where the sun had finally come out. We stopped for a few pictures and then headed back to French Quarter to get ready for our first of four super early wake up calls.

What's up, Goof?!

All in all, this wasn't the greatest expo experience for us. The super long lines were disappointing, we missed seeing some of the usual vendors (Sparkle Skirts, Champion, New Balance), and the way it was organized and laid out was a bit confusing to navigate.

However, it was awesome to see Altra, chat with Jeff Galloway, and I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly and easily I was able to pick up my bibs and race shirts.

After returning to our room from the expo, Matthew and I laid out our stuff for the next day, set an alarm for 2:30 am (and a back up for 2:45!), and climbed into bed by 7 pm. The Dopey schedule might be tough but we were tougher! :-)

Stay tuned for the next recap: the WDW 5k, WDW 10k, and Cigna Blogger Event!

Gratitude in 2017

For the first time in four years, I missed posting an annual blog for Thanksgiving. In 2014, 2015, and 2016, I put together a list of all the things/people I was grateful for and posted it here on the internet for anyone and everyone to see.

But I missed it this year. Not because I don't have anything to be thankful for, but because I wanted to dedicate a post specifically to folks that I've never thanked in writing before- strangers! Not all strangers, of course, but the kind of strangers you meet through running races.

Kids standing on the sidelines of a race with their expectant hands out, waiting for sweaty high-fives.

Volunteers shouting "water" or "Gatorade" at an aid station until their voices are hoarse.

A coffee-drinking couple sitting on their front porch, sleepily clapping as the runners pass them.

Enthusiastic cow-bell ringers, shouting encouraging words, motivating runners to keep moving forward.

Clever sign makers whose messages always elicit a moment of laughter during a tough section of a race course.

Medical personnel quick to jump in and help in both life-saving and blister-saving situations.

Police and security keeping all runners, spectators, and volunteers safe.

Some of my favorite strangers :-)

As a runner, sometimes I tend to think that races are all about me. My race, my pace, my experience. But that experience wouldn't be anything without all the strangers that come together to make it happen.

I've always been grateful for strangers in the running community but during an experience I had a few weeks ago, I had such a deepened level of respect for all the people who make a race what it is.

My friend Jeff, whom I affectionately call "coach," turned 50 this year and one of his goals was to run a 50 mile race for his 50th year on earth. He chose to run the JFK 50 miler, a race that winds through highly technical trail, tow path, and road in an extremely challenging 50 mile course. He set this goal a year in advance and some of our friend group reserved the date on our calendars with plans to help pace him during the race.

Coach and me after the 2015 Pittsburgh Marathon

Then the race changed its policies and folks were no longer able to run/pace with the race entrants. After exchanging emails with our group, some of us decided that we would come down and crew (meet Jeff at certain parts of the race and basically be his pit crew) and cheer for him- unbeknownst to Jeff.

Through the expert coordination of our friends Lauren and Chelsea, myself and another friend, Steff, successfully surprised Jeff at mile 15.5 of the course and then were able to see him at two other points of the race.

Selfies or it didn't happen.

While you're waiting for someone to run 50 miles, you have a lot of downtime. In addition to exploring the surrounding areas (and finding super cute coffee shops and restaurants), we would get to each checkpoint a little early and cheer for other runners and then after we'd seen and helped Jeff, we'd stick around and keep cheering for folks.

Cheering is serious business that requires a serious wardrobe.

At about the halfway mark, there was an aid station set up and staffed by my local running group, the Chambersburg Road Runners Club. These volunteers were out in the cold rain (it was the WORST weather in the morning), preparing food and serving runners. It was so awe-inspiring to see these people, who didn't have any runners in the race, showing up and working their station to help runners. They were making soup, cutting up fruit, and refilling water bottles. For complete strangers.

Jeff, slurping down some Ramen from the CRRC volunteers.

But these volunteers weren't the only ones standing around in the rain cheering for runners. We kept seeing the same folks at each aid station/checkpoint, each waiting for their runner like we were waiting for Jeff. And each continuing to cheer for other runners once their runner came through.

Towards the end of the race, we headed to the finish line about an hour before we expected Jeff to come through. We were all so inspired by the runners and we wanted to cheer for as many folks as we could.

We got out our clappers and cow bells and screamed until our voices were gone. We danced, chatted back and forth with the DJs, and cheered our hearts out.

Cheer Crew Extraordinaire.

When Jeff came through the finisher chute, I cried as I cheered. I can't articulate the emotions I was feeling- it was one of my most favorite experiences in the running community. He just finished running 50 freaking miles! In one day! I am still so impressed with his tenacity, strength, and grit. Way to go, Coach!

Once we made sure Jeff was ok, Lauren took him inside to so he could get a shower and get changed and Chelsea, Steff, and I made our way back to the finish line to cheer for the very last finishers.

Blurry, happy, finish line selfies are the best kind. CONGRATULATIONS, JEFF!! 

Every time I've run a race, there's been someone- a stranger- that has helped me significantly by doing something small. Every "Looking good, runner!," "You got this!," "Stay strong!" shouted from the sideline has helped me find the strength to keep going when I felt like quitting.

I hope our cowbell-ringing, clapper-clapping, shouting and cheering group of ladies were able to be somebody's stranger at the JFK 50 miler. Cheering is the very least I can do to give back to the community that's given me so much.

So, thank you, to every stranger I have encountered out on the race course. You are appreciated more than you'll ever know.

Have you ever encountered a stranger on a race course that made your day? Tell me about it in the comments!