Maryland Half Marathon 2013

Back on Valentine's Day, I decided to sign up for the Maryland Half Marathon in Fulton, Maryland (just west of Laurel). I wanted to raise money for the Greenebaum Cancer Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center. The added benefit of registering on that date, was I received a red Brooks running hat with the MD Half Marathon emblem on it.

I picked up my packet a week ago, the shirt was really cool for a race shirt. It is Under Armour tech material and in a light chartreuse color. My only complaint is that it's a little thin for someone busty like me.

I drove the course earlier in the week and realized it was full of rolling hills. My current PR for a half marathon is 2:19:10. I really wanted to beat that, but I knew it wasn't going to happen here. I figured I would give it a good try and started with the 2:10 pace group. They started out way too fast for me at 9:15 for a relatively steep uphill section. The pollen and pace got to me at about 2 miles, so I lost the pace group and just decided to go it on my own. This worked well for me because I started wheezing. When I finally caught my breath, I figured I would be okay. 

When I say the course was hilly, I mean it. Here is about the only flat section of the course.

I'm not complaining. Aside from the very beginning and very end of the course, we ran through some very beautiful terrain. We ran past farms. We ran past ponds. We ran through the woods. We ran through beautiful older communities. We ran through beautiful newer communities. There was a young boy dressed as a banana on the course and he made me giggle a bit.

The rain held off until somewhere between miles 9 and 10 for me. The little shower we got was more refreshing than annoying. I'm glad it wasn't a driving rain for the entire race. About 11 miles, my unsleeved calves could no longer handle the hills and started cramping like they did during the Annapolis Half. I had to switch to walk/run. That last cruel hill up to the finish line hurt.

I finished in 2:24:55. I can deal with that. It's not a new PR, but when I look at the results as a percentage of runners I beat, it is a significant improvement. Not to mention, the winner did it in 1:19, which is slow for a half marathon. I honestly think that it was hillier than my first leg of Ragnar DC last year. That being said, I plan on running it again next year. I raised $400 for the Greenebaum Cancer Center and would like to thank all of my donors. I ran the race in memory of a family friend who passed away from breast cancer a little over 3 years ago. Next time, I'm going to write her name on my arm. I saw lots of people who were doing that and I wish I had thought about it.

The medal was very cool. The V is for the 5th anniversary.

Oh, I also proved to myself that I could run a half in the morning and go to a wedding in the afternoon and not fall over asleep by 6pm. My calves and quads hurt for a couple of days after the race. Next time, calf sleeves are a must!

On to the next challenge: The Crofton Kiwanis 10K on June 8th.

Do you run for a cause?

How do you pick your races? I ran Ragnar because my husband's cousin asked if I wanted to do it and I thought it would be a fun adventure. I did my first half marathon because the timing was right for me with my training plans and it wasn't too far away, but sometimes I run for a good reason.

A little over a year ago when my running adventure began, a friend of mine said to pick a 5K and that she would do it with me. I wanted to do something in the Baltimore area, so that it wasn't far for anyone. I wanted something with a flat course. Most of all, I wanted it to be for a cause I supported. I picked The Red Shoe Shuffle which supports the Ronald McDonald House in Baltimore. I picked this one for a reason, one of my nieces had some strokes in utero and has had access to therapy where they live. Many kids don't have this luxury. Others are in need of more extensive therapies that they can receive at Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland Medical Center, or Kennedy-Krieger. The Ronald McDonald House provides a place for them to stay during these therapies. 

Yesterday, I registered for the Maryland Half Marathon. I knew at the time that it supported the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center and that 100% of the net proceeds go to the cause, which is unusual for a large race. I didn't know until after I registered that I have an acquaintance who's father is one of the researchers there. It is one of top rated cancer centers in the country.

If you would like to support me, you can make a donation here: http://ummsfoundation.org/alyssakendallMDHM2013. My goal is to raise at least $100 for the center. Every little bit helps. Thank you!

Annapolis Half Marathon and Runniversary

I did it! I completed my first half marathon on December 1, 2012. This was coincidentally also my 1st "Runniversary." A year ago, I completed my first Couch to 5K workout and continued the program to completion. In the past year, I've run two 5Ks, Ragnar DC, the Marine Corps 10K, and the Annapolis Half Marathon. The only one that didn't get my nerves was the 10K.

So... Race report for my first half... I trained so hard for Ragnar and totally slacked off after it was done. I skipped 2 of my long training runs and I hurt my IT band. I felt really really unprepared. Two of my Ragnar teammates signed up to run with me. I was glad they did. Seriously, without Chris, I would have been walking at mile 4. I dunno why I thought that Annapolis would be flat.

First part of the race was around the Navy Stadium. The first water stop had a place for you to drop any extra clothes. They were going to bring them back to the start and donate whatever wasn't claimed. Then we ran through downtown Annapolis, past the Naval Academy, St. John's College and over the Navy Memorial Bridge. I swallowed my gum at the second water stop. Oops! It was so foggy that I couldn't really enjoy the sights. My cousin Jen had planned to take a picture of the Memorial. I wasn't with her at that point, but you couldn't even see it, so I doubt she was able to get one. I got a Gu at the turn-around and I really should have had another one.

I lost Chris at about 9 miles. I was sad to lose her and wasn't sure how I was going to make it back over the bridge without walking. I didn't. My calves started spasming. Right at that point, someone says hello to me. I turn around and it's my friend Meghan in her Sparkle Skirt. Running next to her got me through the next almost 2 miles until my calves spasmed again. After the last water stop, this woman who had been with me the entire time complained about the fog. Running with her got me through the last mile. My time was 2:19:10. Since my goal was to finish and aside from that I was hoping for under 2:45:00, I'm thrilled with my time. I have a shiny new medal for my bling wall, a nice running jacket from Born Fit, and a running cap (something I actually needed!)

The highlights of the race were a woman wearing a shirt that said "Will stop for morning sickness" and a couple dressed as a bride and groom with their bridesmaids and groomsmen crossing the finish line together.

I'm glad I did it. I have a decent PR for a first race. On to more racing!

DC Ragnar -- It's OVER!

So, as y'all know, I ran in the DC Ragnar last weekend. I had a total of 15.1 miles in the 197-mile relay race that started at Rocky Gap State Park near Cumberland, MD and ended at National Harbor.

My first leg was crazy! We are talking about 1076-feet of elevation increase and 804-feet of decrease over 7.9 miles. It was hot, dusty, winding, and they're was a lot of gravel on the road.

Before starting my first leg

Here comes the runner before me

Off I go!

Handed off to the next runner

Checking off the box

My second leg was 5 miles in the middle of the night. It was very eerie. I enjoyed the country part of it, but when I was in a neighborhood, I kept expecting someone to come outside and yell at me.

My third leg was short and I took off like a bat out of Hades. I was so ready to be done, but I worried that the next runner wouldn't be there yet. I'm not sure how soon before I got there that she arrived, but I'm sure it wasn't but a couple of minutes.

All done!

We all crossed the finish line together and I now own my first race medal :)

Me and my medal

Our team

Jen and me. She's the reason I agreed to run up a mountain in the first place :)

Anyways... On to the next challenge... I'm going to run in the TCS Annapolis Half Marathon for my first half marathon this December. Wish me luck!