Tag Archives: running

Race Report:TheTexas Independent Relay, aka “Come and Take It.”

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This unexpected journey began months ago when I decided to join a group of fellow Rogue runners in the 2013 Texas Independent Relay (TIR) the weekend of March 23 & 24th. We didn’t finalize our team until the last minute but on Friday night, March 22nd, these nine women–Alexa (team captain); Bethany; Jaclyn; Melinda; Tory; Christina; Jenna; Molly; and myself–set out in two cars for Gonzales, TX.

TIR put on a pre-race kick off party to welcome all runners to the town that would serve as the start of 200 miles of glorious running! The kick-off party was hilarious and had elements of “Footloose” and a high school dance, all in one. We had a few beers, danced a little, and met some of the other runners who signed up for this crazy relay race. I wish I had pictures of team “Mullet” because they took the costumes and energy of this race to another level.

The Roguettes at the kick-off party

The Roguettes at the kick-off party

Gonzales was pretty much what I imagined, a super small Texas town that offered $1.75 breakfast tacos at 10:00pm.

TIR tacos

Breakfast tacos at “The Rodeo”

We didn’t plan ahead much with where we were going to stay. We abandoned the idea of sleeping in the H.S. gym down the street that the race organizers had set-up. Instead, we ended up staying at the Carefree Inn, which is about as scary of a hotel that I’ve ever stayed in. But, it gave shelter to the 9 of us, no one was abducted and no one broke into our room in the middle of the night. Winning.

Our start time was just before 10:00am on Saturday the 23rd. We arrived in our super cute “Roguettes” team tank tops and took-in all that was happening at the starting line. The other teams’ vans lined the streets, each team’s theme song played as they left the starting line, everyone was taking pictures and feeling the energy of the adventure that lied ahead. Texas was clearly a focus of this shin-dig, as the race follows and honors much of Texas state history. After living in Texas for almost 5 years, I’ve learned that these people LOVE big Texas state flags. This flag was so big and it was so windy that teams had to take turns holding it down from becoming unreachable due to the wind. This is the biggest Texas flag I’ve seen yet.

TIR start flag

The Roguettes about to start TIR

The Roguettes took off through the lingering smoke of the cannon that was fired off for the start of each team. We ran as a team for about 1 mile until Bethany set out solo to complete the first leg. There were 40 legs total, divided by 9 runners on our team (each team could have between 7-14 runners). Each leg was between 3-7 miles long. Sadly, Jaclyn suffered a bad knee injury and had to sit-out from running after her first leg. She was a trouper, team player and was really helpful even though she couldn’t run. I know she was really bummed about this and she handled it with grace. Without her running abilities, it meant that we were all about to take on roughly 25 miles of running and VERY little sleep for the next 30 hours.

What I loved about this entire experience was running for each and every person on my team. This was not a solo marathon. This was about being there for each other as a teammate, runner, cheerleader, water girl, whatever was needed. Each time a runner approached the exchange point to pass the baton, you knew that she was running for the Roguettes and doing the best she could.

The bulk of the first day of running was in sweltering heat, travelling on dirt paths through cow pastures or running on the highway connecting tiny Texas towns, most of which seemed abandoned. It was amazing. We ran with joy and with a commitment to “come and take it” with each mile our body would allow us to run. We cheered each other on, setting the tone for the rest of the running that had yet to take place.

The evening legs were unexpectedly my favorite. I didn’t realize we’d be running on highways in the middle of the night, so there was a fear factor of safety and getting lost. But, we all had tons of reflective gear on with maps to show us the way. The van stopped every mile or so to make sure that the runner was safe and doing ok. My experience running in the dead of night was one that I’ve never had before. Most of the night running was by myself, with the occasional runner passing me or me passing someone else. We were not allowed to run with music, so I was left with the silence of running. My mental chatter was quiet, my mind was clear, and I was amazed at how much energy I had with no sleep and several miles already under my belt from earlier in the day.

The second day of running included massive winds and chilly temperatures. We handled it like all Rogues do, taking on whatever mother nature handed us. The team’s energy was not as high as it was the first day, but we were still cheering and supporting one another. The lack of sleep and nutrition was starting to impact all of us and delirium was beginning to set in. Towards the end of the relay we experienced one logistic mess-up with losing Molly for a short while, but she was a trouper and figured out how to contact us through Bobby, our running coach (thank you!!).

I had the honor of running the team’s last leg to the San Jacinto monument in Houston. This was awesome and the most memorable of the 5 legs. I ran part of the way with Tory and the rest of the way with Alexa. We managed the insane head wind, and felt the motivation of our team waiting to run us in. We could see the monument high above the other structures, welcoming us to the finish line. The final road was a long straight path, lined with other team’s vans. The monument became closer and closer to us with every step.  The Roguettes ran the final tenth of a mile with us and we celebrated running through that finish line with so much joy, pride, and friendship. 30 hours and 45 minutes later we completed 200 miles. Done.

Team Roguettes at the San Jacinto Monument

Team Roguettes at the San Jacinto Monument
(Left to right, top row: Me, Molly, Alexa, Jaclyn, Melinda. Bottom row: Tory, Christina, Jenna, and Bethany)

I am honored to have run with this incredible group of women. I love that we displayed strength and power, balanced with love and compassion. I believe this is what women do best. We were there to compete and to have an amazing joy-filled experience.

Would I do this race again? Yes, in a heartbeat. The tough parts were the lack of sleep, managing stomach issues while also needing to eat, and the fact that when we weren’t running we were sitting (un-showered and smelly) in a mini-van with all of our sweaty used clothes and shoes.  But, all of those not-so-great parts of the experience are barely a part of this narrative. What stands out is the joy of running, being a part of this incredible Austin running community, friendship, the outdoors, a sense of adventure, and memories.

Thank you to Rogue Running for being such a huge supporter of our experience. Thank you to our coach, Bobby, for making sure we found Molly and for building such a supportive running community in Austin, which brought us together in the first place. Thank you to the ladies on team Roguettes for being incredible human beings who contribute to this world. Last of all, I thank my mind and body for allowing me to run as much as I do and for saying “yes” to wild and crazy experiences like TIR.

TIR medal

A Love Letter to Running

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*Disclaimer* There is profanity in this post. Don’t read if you’re offended by bad words. I find that running marathons brings out the occasional F-bomb. Staying true to myself, I decided to keep them in the post:)

In the days leading up to the Livestrong Austin Marathon, I decided that I wasn’t going to play it safe. I wasn’t going to take it easy and then negative split the last 6 miles of the marathon like I’ve done for the four marathons I’ve completed over the past 10 years. Inspired by a TEDx event I attended a few weeks ago (you can read more here), I was curious about my limits. I thought I had a good idea about where they lie with my running abilities but I’ve never completed a marathon feeling like I’d given it everything I had. I’ve always had more left in the tank, so to speak, and have been able to sprint to the finish line with a smile on my face. I’ve never finished a marathon and wondered if I could take another step or question if I’d be able to finish. I did yesterday.

I approached this marathon wanting to find out where my limits are, and if I could run a sub 3:45. Meghan (an awesome person and runner who’s been training for the marathon with Rogue Running as well) and I started running at a decent clip and after a few miles, were right on pace to run a 3:45. I’m not a rookie marathoner so I knew this could be dangerous so early on, but I went with it and wanted to see how long I could keep it up. Who knows, maybe it was going to be for 26.2 miles? Maybe I could actually run a sub 3:45?!? I wasn’t going to know unless I tried. What if my limits aren’t where I think they are?

The old familiar creeping pain of lactic acid in my legs, which I know all too well from my rowing days and now running days, begin to knock on my cellular door around the 1/2 marathon mark. I decided to welcome it, respect it, and told the throbbing nature of its presence to just be gentle, at least for a little while longer. Around the 17 mile mark, the farthest point from downtown Austin, fewest spectators, and steady headwind, was where I really started to feel it. I started talking to myself a lot at this point. I told myself to just take in the experience, to take it one mile at at time, and take in the energy from the people around me.

Somewhere around mile 23, I started hearing spectators cheer for the 3:55 pace group. I knew they were behind me. I knew they were creeping up and about to fucking pass me. I tried so hard to envision myself pulling away from them. But alas, my legs were done. My quads and calves were absolutely destroyed from the 8:30′s I put in during the first half, and from the delightful hills that are a constant challenge during the Austin course. At this point I knew I could finish under 4 hours, but it wasn’t going to happen ahead of the 3:55 group and 3:45 was for sure not going to happen.

The last 2 miles of this race is a blur. Amy, another awesome Rogue runner, came out of the crowd to help ‘run me in’. All I could do was grunt at her as acknowledgement. I could tell that she was a bit concerned about my wellbeing because I was looking rough. All I could do was put one foot in front of another. Then, Bobby, Rogue Running coach extraordinaire, started running with me as I came to the final fucking hill of the course. My legs started buckling beneath me. I was done. I walked, something I’ve never done in a marathon before, and had to muster up one more morsel of energy to run the final 800 meters. I took a deep breath. I tried to tap into his energy. I somehow started running again, feeling as if my legs were detached from my body, and made the final turn to the finish line. Matt, the most amazing boyfriend in the world, hopped over the barricade for the spectators to stand behind, and started running with me down the final stretch to the finish line.

I did it. 3:57.22 of pure grit, determination, of finally reaching my limit. I did it. I found out where that limit was for me yesterday. Yes, I could have played it safe and I could have run smarter. Maybe my time would have been faster with a slower first 1/2, but sometimes you need to let go of strategy and race plans. Sometimes you just need to see what you’re made of, throw the elevation charts to the wind, and just fucking run.

I want to write a special thank you to my friends who were out there cheering. Drew, thank you for waking up so early and for making me such a pretty sign. I love that I get to be friends with such a brilliant and funny guy who is always there for me. Jenny, thank you for flying in from Miami to cheer me and your other friends on. Your cute smiling face lit me up as I saw you throughout the course. Lauren, you saw me at one of the roughest parts of that race. Thank you for being there cheering me along, along with everything else you have going on right now, love you Minuch! Mary, I love that we got to share another marathon experience! You will be my running buddy forever:) Matt, my amazing Love and man of my dreams, thank you for not just supporting me for the last 23 weeks of training, early mornings, early bedtimes, and weird eating habits. Thank you for being there throughout the entire race yesterday. You helped me find out where my limits are, and made it so much more bearable. I love that we get to experience our accomplishments and life challenges together with partnership.

I also want to give a HUGE thank you to my fellow Rogue Running Sole Survivors. Ya’ll are a blast to run with and so inspiring. What’s our next race? Finally, I want to thank Coach Bobby for being such an incredible person. You are someone who exudes love and excitement for life. Thank you for all that you’ve done and mostly, for the person you are. Your team of Sole Survivors could not have done this without you. You didn’t just help us run a marathon, you helped us form friendships, community, fitness, and a deeper love for running.

Me & Jenny at the finish line

Matt keeping me standing at the finish line.

Rogue Runners post-marathon bliss

Living in Lane 1

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Last night our running club at Rogue did a 2 mile time trial around a track in order to gauge our marathon goal pace at this stage of our training.

The entire team started the 2 mile run at the same time. Our coach, Bobby, instructed the ‘slower’ runners to use in the outer lanes of the track and the ‘fast’ people who intended to push-it to use the inside lanes. I began running in lane 3 but as I started to pass other runners, I moved over to lane 2. With each turn around the track, I moved into lane 1 in order to be efficient around each bend. Throughout the first mile, I continued to move back to lane 2 during the straight-aways and checked over my left shoulder to see if anyone was coming up behind me who may need the inside lane.

I realized 1/2 way through the time trial that no one else was passing me! I finished the first mile in just over 7 minutes. I was running faster than I thought I could and I felt great. The rest of the 2 mile run was challenging but awesome at the same time. I went into the workout telling myself that I wouldn’t push that hard (which I know is impossible for me) but as per usual, I felt like I was about to puke at the end. The 14:08 finish time is a big accomplishment for me and improves my confidence and excitement about what I’m capable of as Feb 19th approaches.

I realized through this experience that for much of life I’ve been living in ‘Lane 2′, always making sure that I’m not in anyone’s way and thinking of others before myself. I do think this is a beautiful quality. However, last night when I realized that I deserved to be in ‘Lane 1′, the inner-warrior awakened inside me. I can live in ‘Lane 1′ and still be aware, encouraging, and compassionate towards other people around me. Its okay to put myself first and to have the confidence that I belong there!

Inner peace

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I’ve been dealing with a knee injury (my own clumsy fault) for the past 2 weeks, which gave me time stay off the pavement and get back into the yoga room yesterday.

Towards the end of class the instructor let us know that we had ended a few minutes early and encouraged us to stay in savasana a few extra minutes. In this pose, you lie on your back with your palms up, completely still, eyes closed. Its called corpse pose for a reason. This final relaxation pose is actually the entire purpose of yoga. After 90 minutes of sweating, moving, working, stretching, stregthening — you finally get to this pose of final rest and relaxation. The body is tired but the mind is not.

Its amazing how active our minds are. At the end of this class yesterday, my body was spent. I hadn’t done Bikram yoga in a while, and I was in that post-yoga high, feeling deliciously relaxed. My mind, however, was already processing everything I needed to accomplish the rest of the day.

Before the instructor left the room she said, “Don’t let anything steal your peace.” I needed to hear that. I took this to mean, don’t let anything pull you out of savasana sooner than needed, or sooner than you’re ready. This is your time. The rest of the world can wait 3 minutes for you to get off of the floor, and out of this meditation. I also applied this message to my life off the yoga mat. Life can be crazy with deadlines, responsibilities, expectations – but we can remain utterly peaceful inside. Our inner peace can be protected, treasured, and honored – no matter what is happening around us.

The Journey

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Yesterday was an adventure! Many of you know that my friend Mary and I trained and ran the Austin Marathon together in 2010. After we kicked-some-marathon-ass, we took a year off and decided to go for it again when we signed-up for the 2012 marathon in our hometown of Austin. Around that same time I saw a great online deal to register for the first ever See Jane Run 1/2 marathon in Austin and it was a deal we couldn’t pass-up, which also fit nicely into our marathon training.

Fast forward several months and Mary now lives the majority of her time in Florida but because she’s awesome, came back to Austin to run the 1/2 with me. We LOVE running together. Its not just because we’re about the same pace, have similar ‘push-through’ mentalities when it comes to hills or fatigue, were both rowers, and have known each other for years. For quite a while, running was the only time we had to catch up on life and reconnect with each other. We were THRILLED to have about 2 hours to run together yesterday morning, as we hadn’t seen each other for months.

Yesterday (race day), I set my alarm for 5:00am to have enough time for coffee and a bite to eat before picking up Mary to drive to the race course. Austin has not seen rain in forever and maybe ya’ll have heard of the devastating fires we’ve had recently. While sipping my coffee, I heard the thunder, saw flashes of lightening, and the patter of rain outside my window – I was elated about the much needed rain and was psyching myself up for running 13.1 miles in soaking wet conditions. It wouldn’t be my first time, and I knew Mary (who’s a head rowing coach) wouldn’t let a little thunderstorm stand in our way of a finish line.

I checked my email/facebook to see if there were any race updates, as many times there are delays with thunder and lightening, but saw nothing. I left for Mary’s house and checked again while sitting at a traffic light. Both Rogue Running & See Jane Run posted on their facebook pages that the race was cancelled! I continued on to Mary’s house with the idea that maybe this information was incorrect or that the race would just be a delayed. Nope. We got to the race course parking area and everyone was going back to their cars wearing their impromptu trash bag rain coats. The lady directing traffic confirmed that the APD had requested that the race organizers cancel the race.

What to do? Mary and I went through all of our options, from going back to sleep to getting out of the car and running anyways through the flooded streets of Austin. We decided to wait a little while at a coffee shop to gather our senses. Both of us are in marathon training, and if I didn’t get this run in this morning, it was going to happen later that day or the next. Mary and I hadn’t run together in ages and we realized spending time together running was what we wanted more than anything.

So, we had a coffee refill and drove to our favorite running spot at Town Lake. The rain was still coming down hard so we checked the weather radar and saw that the storm system may in fact continue to move on northeast and give Austin a break from the pouring rain. About an hour later than the race was about to start, Mary and I put on our body glide, laced up our shoes, and headed out for a 13.1 race of our own.

It wasn’t about getting a finishing medal. It wasn’t about the ‘chocolate and champagne’ that the race orgnizers promised. It was about feeling prepared and excited to run 13.1 miles, and accomplishing it together. I have run many races, from 5k’s to marathons and this was seriously one of the most gratifying and rich experiences I’ve had. There was never a moment of feeling defeated by the race cancellation. There was never a moment of resentment towards See Jane Run or the weather gods that had finally blessed Austin with the rain.

Mary and I sipping our ‘post-race’ bubbly at the SJR reception after running our own race

After Mary and I finished our run together, I checked the race organizer’s facebook page and was shocked at some of the race participant’s comments. Many people wanted their chocolate, champagne, t-shirt, and medals, and demanded answers as to why the race organizers didn’t have a Plan B with the inclement weather. Its not easy to put on a race people. You can’t just tell the local police department to “hang on a few hours, just in case this storm lightens’ up.” You can say, “Hey UT, can we borrow your indoor track so that thousands of people can run 13 miles in here?” I imagine they would say, “Sorry, no can do, ya’ll are crazy.” See Jane Run had the “post-race” goodies available for everyone at a local hotel and have offered discounted race entries in to next year’s 1/2 marathon. Races are expensive to put on and they explained that our non-refundable entry fee’s have already been spent. This is clearly stated when we all registered. I think they truly went out of their way to partially repair people’s crushed expectations.

I think the people who were angered by this experience forgot what running is all about. Its about embodying the life and commitment to being a runner. Its about putting in the miles and prepping your body for the goal you have in mind. Yes, it feels amazing to cross the finish line, but the journey is the real reward. Who you’ve been committed to as being a ‘runner’ is so much more than putting one foot in front of the other when you run. Its about who you are. Its about what you stand for in life. And, if you happen to have a kick-ass running partner, its about sharing that time together and making your own 1/2 marathon experience happen.