Forward Till The Finish

Running the world and reaching my goals, one finish line at a time! 

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Looking back on 2020, I had so many plans for races and distances and new adventures. Seeing race memories and travels and influencer style announcements pop up in my news feed makes me feel like I’m looking back at a whole different person.

Last year, I became a run coach, TRX instructor, got a kettle bell cert and have been demoing workouts almost daily to a run group I help moderate online. I only ran two official half marathons (one virtual) and did get to coach some in person early in the year and late summer to fall.

2020 gave me the break I didn’t know I needed, the chance to look at my ambassadorships and see what made sense to stay, what to leave and what to persue. I slowly retreated from weekend long runs and opted for late mornings in bed, snuggling with my pup and catching up on all the Netflix. The irony being- my physical stats haven’t changed that much. I’m still moving through the week. 5 workouts at minimum still. Just cutting out the long run.

Virtual races don’t feel the same but I do them to support my run club and causes that need that support. If anything they are less pressure and are just enough of a placeholder until racecations can happen again.

Looking forward, I can’t imagine doing two racecations in a month like I have done in the past. I’ve figured out the power of no. I have figured out the power of rest. A friend mentioned to me “I feel like running at that level of intensity has served its purpose for you” and I believe they are right. Maybe one day I will go back to that level of intensity but 2020 showed me it’s alright to not have to either.

Thanks for lessons 2020.

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Virtually Challenged

As many of our regular spring and summer races have been cancelled, the flood of virtual races, challenges and team events happened.

I don’t knock anyone that finds these events fun or helps their motivation during this weird time. I’m happy that there are options for people. I believe everyone should do what works for them and their style. As for me, I found them exhausting.

I got wrapped up and joined a challenge tracking steps/ miles. I immediately felt less than. I started comparing myself and wondering how did others get so many steps. And then I realized- this is not for me.

For me, the thought of tracking, running at a specific time, racing myself in my own neighborhood- it grates at my nerves. During this time I’ve been working on building balance, letting myself feel and not holding myself to and specific set of rules. If I want to run, I do. If I don’t want to run, I do TRX or yoga. If I don’t want to to that, I rest.

I’m also learning to be stronger on my boundaries. Saying no, protecting my energy and time, keeping my body working but without strain and injury is working for me right now. I’ve been letting myself let go of the expectations of my running and fitness. It’s been good for me.

I love race swag, medals and shirts but in this climate it doesn’t feel the same for me. It actually almost makes me sad.

This is just how I feel. I don’t want to join another challenge, I don’t want to track my miles, I don’t want to run across a state or country. I don’t need one more thing to think about. I don’t need one more thing to pressure me.

I’m glad and grateful for the companies and teams that have put things together. I’m glad it’s getting or keeping people motivated while we have to run apart from each other. I’m glad that people are still getting to set and reach goals. That’s the beauty of the running community- there is something for everyone.

But for me, I’m going to enjoy my runs with no pretense or requirements. And I’ll continue to cheer on those of you that are out there reaching goals and crushing virtual runs.

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One City Half Marathon Recap

Last year, I won an entry to the One City Marathon Relay. Already dealing with injuries and an over crowded schedule, my relay partner and I decided to defer to this year. In deferring there was an option to run the half which seemed like more fun than doing the relay.

I didn’t think to stay in Newport News the night before and really figured that I could just drive down the morning of and then back post race. Due to being pretty close to Richmond, this plan worked out just fine.

I arrived to the parking garage around 5:45pm and met up with Anne before hitting the bus. Shoutout to Anne for picking up my packet for me the day before. It was a busy weekend so I went into the weekend not as on it as I normally am. From the garage, we walked over to the line of buses and were directed by volunteers to the right bus.

One City is a point to point (which is impressive for a full marathon when you think about it) so the half, relay and marathon buses were going to different spots. The half went to a local high school which meant the building was open, warm and had real bathrooms.

I guess I didn’t realize how small this race was going to be but it was a nice change of pace to just migrate to the start line right before the race. Maybe less than 5 minutes later we were off. Of course I ended up towards the back but I wasn’t too worried about that because I wanted to look at this race as the first of many long runs working towards Three Days at the Fair.

The course did not have a ton of spectators or even scenery but it was nice and flat, we’ll supported by volunteers and the Newport News Police Department. I’m pretty sure there were two- three officers at each intersection. Near CNU campus, a man tried to pull out near me and an officer literally sprinted towards the driver to get them to redirect. Throughout the race, there were bikers that were checking in with the back of the half and notified us when the marathon front runners were coming behind us. I greatly appreciated that level of support.

Also, SO MANY CONES. I have never seen a full 13.1 mile course with that many cones. Y’all it was wild. I don’t know how or where they would event store that many.

The last mile or so was interesting as the 8k, half and full marathon merged. It really would only be an issue for someone who is a slower half marathoner or a speedy marathoner. And before I knew it, you turned a quick corner and there was the finish.

I had originally planned to grab some food and one beer and head home but the after party really sucked me in. I caught up with a woman that I met in the first couple miles of the race, talked to some friends from VA Beach and decided which food trucks to get my runner food from. There was a pizza truck, taco truck, baked goods and other options.

The recovery tent had samples of deodorant, a make your own trail mix station AND had at least 8 massage therapists with real tables so that people could get a massage without being in line or a waiting list. I got one of the best post race massages I have ever gotten at a finish line. It made my car ride home so much less miserable. There were even a ton of yoga mats and foam rollers if you wanted to use them.

I found some other Richmond runners and had another beer and some more food. We found spots to sit in the tent where there was a DJ. He did a great job of entertaining the runners and small children of the runners with a Frozen mix. Sounds lame but it lead to a dance and sing a long.

I shuffled to my car (which was perfectly positioned like a block away) and rode home. I later looked at my pace, and time and reflected on how I felt. And honestly, I felt good, pushed when I felt like it and ultimately felt in control of my race. Not my fastest or slowest but I am quite satisfied and would recommend this race to anyone looking for a easy going half with solid support and finish line party.

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Who hurt you? 2019.

I struggled to even think about what should be posted here. Reflecting on 2019 was hard in the wake of how good 2018 felt.

So much of my year hung on the result of Berlin, I did myself a disservice. I’m just happy to come out of 2019 with a couple more races under my belt and came out not injured. 

I had a blast doing the Blue Ridge Half Marathon and hope to do the full in 2020. And Queen Bee Half Marathon was just what I needed after Berlin to boost my confidence. Volunteering at the Richmond Marathon races allowed me some time to support all of my friends as they were taking the last turns of their races.

I joined a new community called Fitness Protection which has helped me really dial in on my running and has changed my approach. My coaches support me in finding the balance I need to do all the things and stay strong. The last couple months on the program really gave me the boost I needed to stay active through the winter.  All this to say the hurt of 2019 is going to launch me into what i hope to be an adventure filled year 2020  

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“I don’t need a crown to know that I’m a queen” - Queen Bee Half Marathon

What an event, after the disappointment that was The Berlin Marathon. I went to Cincinnati hoping for a good weekend, a fun race and boost to the spirit. I can honestly say, Cincinnati and the Queen Bee Half Marathon delivered in full!

The worst part about the entire weekend was the 8.5 hour drive. My traveling partner had to drop out and I couldn’t get anyone to come with so I braved the drive alone. I highly recommend comedy podcasts for long drives with Pandora station breaks in the middle. During the drive, I decided that I wanted to go straight to the expo for two reasons: stretch my legs and to make sure I wouldn’t be out all night after a day of travel.

The expo was two fold. Not only was it packet pick up for the race but also it was connected to a wellness expo presented by Kroger. At this point I was glad I drove because the swag and samples were endless. I got a thank you first for being an ambassador,a few premium items for being a half marathoner, a full bag of beauty samples, another bag of snack samples and not to mention all the snacks and such I had at the expo. By the time I got to my car, my arms were so tired! But everything I picked up was something I could use or will use now that I’ve tried it. If I had planned my trip better, I would have gotten there earlier to see some of the demonstrations they had as well.

After the expo, I made my way to my AirBnB that was a short 10 min from downtown. Laid out my stuff, laid out my race stuff, settled in and ate the dinner I brought with me from home and called it an early night.

The next morning, I got up and headed towards the downtown area and picked a parking lot based on cost and seeing women in cold weather running gear. This proved to be a smart choice as I was able to park most of the day for $5. Little did I know how long I was actually going to stay at the finish line but I’ll get to that later. After paying and eating my breakfast, I started following ladies to the start.

The start was well laid out, gear check busses, a super amount of porta potties (which were sparkling clean before and after the race!), and easy to get into corrals. For once, I was not super early so I didn’t have a lot of time to loiter but was able to get two trips to the potty and had a great chat with another woman who had mentioned she was last in the past. What this woman didn’t know is that she really comforted me by telling me that the organizers really are back of the pack friendly per her past experiences. As that conversation wrapped up, it was time to start the race.

I’m not sure why it surprised me but even with the 7:30am start, the sun had not yet completely risen. But I didn’t mind as it didn’t seem to make much difference as it was a chilly day. I knew this race started on a hill but man! The climb was consistent for about two full miles. But the views from the top were completely worth the climb. You could see the river and sun peaking over, it was absolutely gorgeous.

Also within the first couple miles, more snacks than I have seen in a full marathon course. I’m taking Krispy Kreme doughnut holes, chocolate of all types. As the race went on, you didn’t even need your own fuel- Swedish fish, gummies, crasins, Oreos, butter cookies, more chocolate- and even orange segments that had been peeled so you didn’t have to throw the peel on the ground! If that wasn’t enough, there were people handing out tissues almost every other mile. The race organizers clearly have thought of everything.

Along the way, I struck up a couple conversations with ladies from all over. One lady, Tena, was doing her first half marathon at age 72 after multiple surgeries. She was with her daughter, Christine, and friend, Mary. And they really helped me stay on track. I hung with them for a majority of the middle of the race. Towards the end, I found another lady who I had been going back and forth with. Her story was incredible. After dealing with so much physical and emotional issues, she was getting back into running. Around mile 10, I noticed someone handing out beers and mimosas. I asked them to pour me some

Champagne and they said sure! So I stopped, walked and drank a glass of champagne. As I was finishing that up, I came across a woman that was having awful cramps- so bad that you could see them. I always carry extra saltstick just in case. I offered her two tablets and helped her get her water bottle out of her belt. I later found out she decided not to go on but her husband was able to get a medal for her.

The best part about the back half of this race is that it is all down hill after about mile 7. Of course the climbs on the front half of the race caused some fatigue but I felt pretty good coming into the finish line.

After getting through the finish, it was the standard recovery items offered- water, a salty snack, chocolate milk, medal. But just past the finish there was a mini festival where they had an additional finishers item- ear muffs, sunflowers, mimosas, massages, half off race official gear (where I picked up some Queen Bee Goodrs) and plenty food.

Being an ambassador for the race, I had been invited to the VIBee area. There was food, sweets, adult beverages and cute little gifts. I had only planned to swing by say hi and head back to my car but instead I met some really cool ladies who I ended up drinking quite a bit of champagne with. We shared races we loved, what our next plans were and chatted until they basically kicked us out of the tent.

After going back to the AirBnB, showering and taking a quick nap, I headed out to meet my sorority sister Sophie and her boyfriend Will for dinner and BLINK. To be honest, I didn’t understand how artsy and cool Cincinnati was. Between getting some amazing tacos at Coronado and then walking through the streets with music and art installations I was impressed. What a cool weekend for the city, race by day and party by night.

I would recommend Queen Bee and a weekend trip to Cincy to anyone looking for a get away, I would just recommend you fly if you are coming from VA.

Can’t wait to go back for the Flying Pig weekend in the spring!

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#NRYLAUFTBERLIN

The story of this race picks up around mile 8ish, I started to see the caravan that marks the “finish” of the race. For about a mile or so, a coach bus was less than 50 feet behind me. A man hops off the bus, asks me if I’m ok, I respond that I am fine and then tells me I’m “too slow”. I then move to the sidewalk. Which to me says, it’s ok to keep going just stay to the sidewalk and follow the blue line to the finish.

That was the last chance I had to get water provided by the course. Throughout the race we continued to leap frog with the clean up crew who encouraged us to keep going and heading towards the finish. Many of the volunteers just looked at us as we asked where to go along the way. It was rather frustrating.

As that last exchange happens, a man that I do not know or have ever seen before, takes on the role as my personal cheerleader... for several kilometers. I’m thinking at least 3 miles. It was absolutely terrifying. He was chanting behind me, clapping his hands. If I stopped to try and cross the street. He would yell at me saying “if you came here to finish, you can’t walk” and when I responded back to him he told me “not to yap at him”. I even stopped and asked a couple officers on the course to help and they just looked at me. I don’t know if it was because they didn’t know English or didn’t understand.

After I lose the stalker, I start to come across some other people that opted to not get on the bus. This is how I found my race companion for the rest of the race. A middle aged Japanese man from Tokyo who had had knee pain from the start but refused to quit. We were together for the last 16ish miles of the race. He didn’t speak much English but The words “fight” and the phrase “you and me, we will be finishers!” Gave me enough boost to keep going. The blue lines got wet and it got darker, it was harder to see where we needed to go. This leads to us getting lost around the 39k Mark (3ish k from the finish). At this point, the negative self talk has taken over and I am a complete mess. I can’t stop crying and my entire body just hurt. While I was carrying my own fuel, I hadn’t had water in a few miles and it was taking its toll.

Somehow after downloading a map of the course, my Japanese friend and I were able to make it to the 41k mark. My friends from home found us and lead us to the finish.

We made a turn or two and there was the Brandenburg Gate. With my timing chip and my mushy bib, we run through the arches of the gates and find that the rest of the finish is gated off. We try to talk to volunteers and they just threw their hands up and shook their heads. No medals, no poncho, nothing. At this point I sit on the sidewalk and sob. I’m frustrated and upset. Later as I check some other peoples stories- they had similar experiences even hours before I finished.

I had asked multiple times if I were to finish on the side walk, would there be a section open to the side for a timer/medals etc. The answer I always got was yes, you are welcome to take the sidewalk and come to the finish. NYC and Chicago both make sure that everyone is accounted for or if you tell them it going to the finish- they wait.

The next day, I started to get messages of friend that had seen footage of me on the race course used in a promo talking about “celebrating” all runners at every pace. I commented a brief summary of my actual experiences on the post and later found the entire post had been deleted. I later got a message from the social media person at SSC events saying that they took it down and that I didn’t get a medal because I didn’t officially finish. I have proof of doing over 28 miles in my Garmin tracker and sticking to the route the best I could given the situation. I was under the impression that I could still finish on the sidewalk and that’s why I kept going. If I knew that the finish would still have shut down, I would have probably quit and not subjected myself to the urban jungle that is Berlin unsupported.

Two days after that, I got an email from SCC events saying they would “make an exception and send me a medal in the mail”. It wasn’t the conversation I wanted but I’ll take the effort as a slight move in the right direction. I’m not sure I’ll hear anything else.

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Forward Till Fall

Training this past summer has been quite difficult. There was some pain, some stress and just overall exhaustion. My long runs were not what they used to and my during the week runs were sparse. I will say my cross training stayed fairly on track which has kept the small flame of hope alive for my fall races. 

What was it? My weight has actually come down, I feel stronger than ever, I finally figured out how to balance rest and work. What was missing? Or maybe what was added? The stress of traveling overseas, not knowing many people who have done this race and the ever looming time limit. 

It was a hot, steamy, long summer and I am ready for fall and some much needed rebuilding to come up. I will stay positive and enjoy both Berlin and Queen Bee for all they offer. My hope is that they both offer cool temperatures and a fun atmosphere. 

Here is to taper town and all the rest and rebuilding it brings! 

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Race Director Chronicles

I’ve directed my fair share of races over the past couple years. Some for my run club, one as a fundraiser and one as a supportive volunteer. It’s an eye opening experience- between the time it takes to plan, the little details, issues that may arise and answering any and all questions for volunteers, runners and sponsors- it’s a lot.

Now that I have helped race direct five or so events, I feel like they all have the same couple themes. You can not please everyone, it will give you a new prospective on racing events and how they are different and you are helping others reach their goals.

Being a race director gave me a new prospective and appreciation for all it takes to put on even the simplest of races. I can only imagine the stress the race directors of the world majors marathon feels. A low risk 5k can get crazy fast if the right permits and safety procedures are in place. The biggest thing I learned was that you are at the mercy of the local police and emergency personnel. Honestly, that is probably for the best. Runners can be a little less cautious but if the police call the race it has to end- no ifs or ands.

As a race director, there are several little details that can easily be missed if you are not organized or have support of a partner or organization. Police permits, porta potties, swag items, shirts, sponsors coordinating volunteers, packet pickup and more- it can be so much. It is key to have people in your corner you can delegate to without having them taking over. I have had incidences in the past where people thought they could change what I put in place but they didn’t understand I set things up the way I did for a reason.

One of the biggest take aways I get almost every time I direct a race is- you can not please everyone. Someone will hate the swag or the shirt, the course will be too hard, too easy, too short or too long, people might think the race is too expensive... the is could go on and on. For me, a measure of success is that we are able to handle issues that may arrive in a safe and hopefully unnoticeable manner, that everyone has a safe race and the majority have a good time on the course and feel well supported. You can not control the weather, you can’t control the drivers on the road and lord knows things happen. I had to cancel a race last year because of a horribly timed winter snow storm. I held out hope till the last minute but knew I had to call it for the safety of my athletes- but man did it hurt.

The most important lesson is at the end of the day you facilitated an event that helped others reach their goals. I used to think being a runner crossing the finish line was the best place to be on race day but being a race director and watching others reach their goals makes all the months of work worth it. If you ever get the chance, volunteer for a race. You don’t have to be the director to enjoy supporting the running community in other ways. And from a race directors view point- we always need the help!

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The mountains are calling and I must go: Blue Ridge Half Marathon 2019

A little over a week ago, I headed to one of my favorite places- Roanoke, Virginia. For third time, I was looking forward to running my favorite half marathon- the Blue Ridge Half Marathon. That’s right on of America’s toughest road races. For the greater part of a year, I have served as an ambassador for the race. Between hosting events and sharing promo codes with people all over, it had finally come.

Unlike other springs past, I usually run a half before this one in the season but lately I have been fighting off overuse injury, general stress and exhaustion in multiple forms. I looked forward to this weekend for so many reasons- a hotel room to myself, seeing some of my favorites from my college days, the concert after the race, great beer and a mini reunion with some of my Roanoke runner friends. And once again this weekend held up to the hype. 

First stop in town, I hit the expo before it officially opened around 2pm. I was shocked to see lots of people already picking up their stuff with all of the tables ready to go. It tends to the a smaller expo but with their cute swag offerings and a happy hour drop in, I made my way through, bought some stuff and grabbed a beer. While standing over in the happy hour area, I started to see friends from college and the rest of the RVA runs the Blue Ridge crew. Its funny how you can be almost three hours from home base and still see people you know! 

I talked some friends from Richmond to come out to Salem VA for a beer before having to check into the hotel. Olde Salem Brewing was not there when I went to college but it seems to be a excellent addition to the landscape without being too college student heavy. They had great stouts and my company was even better. 

I then made my way back towards Roanoke to check into my hotel, Springfield Suites. Last year, this hotel did not have my booking as it shifted to a different company. This year, I booked directly and I am so glad that I did. For a race hotel, it was nice. The rates were good, they had cute souvenir buttons at check in, had a shuttle to and from the race start and end and even opened breakfast at 5:30am so runners could have breakfast before the race. All in all, great value and will plan to stay there again. 

Quickly, dropped my stuff and freshened up to go out to Ballast Point and see my past sorority standards advisor- Wellman and a sorority sister I dont see enough at all- Katie, It had been far too long and I love checking in with people that still live in the area when I go back. I also got to see Lauren (pictured below). This sweetheart says that I have been her inspiration for this race. What she didn’t know is that the feeling was oh so mutual!   Ballast Point was rather interesting as they had all kinds of beer on tap. Being the stout and porter lover I am, I got the flight so I could try them all. For $8, it was a win/win. After dinner and beer, I headed back to Roanoke and settled in for the night. 

Next morning, I woke up and went downstairs to grab some breakfast. I was shocked to see so many runners ready to go at 6am eating breakfast. The race did not start till 7:35am and the race start was less than 1.5 miles away so I was stunned to see I was the only sleepy head rolling in an hour and a half before race start. It did take me a little bit to catch the shuttle to the start so I actually missed my RVA runs the Blue Ridge team pic. I will admit, this is probably the first time I have been so relaxed to get to a race start. 

One of the things I love about this race is that there are no waves and everyone starts at the same time. With the generous time limits and the all the races doing the first 2.5 miles together, it only makes sense not to do waves. 

In the past, I started out way too fast with the crowd. Having past years experience, I let my friends head off and I settled in for what I knew would be a good time. Using the first mile as a warm up proved to be a smart move the later I got in the race. After a couple training runs at Jarmans Gap, I decided that I would be power climbing the steep climbs rather than waste energy running. I am so glad I did not let my pride get in the way of this choice. It turned out to be a warm day with a decent amount of humidity. 

As I climbed Mill Mountain, the back of the pack started to spread out and I got to catch up with some of my friends from past ambassador groups, Chicago GOTR teammate, a couple folks I met on course last year and my buddy Julia who I met on the course last year and shared a few salt tabs with. With this race being so small but having almost a cult following, its always fun to return and share past war stories. Not sure why, but Mill Mountain seemed so much less daunting this year- Jarman’s Gap training worked its magic.

Mill Mountain has multiple rewards- this year I counted all the blessings. The view, the star, a porta potty, an orange slice, a mimosa with Jeff Galloway- all things Mill Mountain rewarded me with this year. 

Coming off Mill Mountain, I felt good. Knowing that I was solidly in the middle of the race and still feeling pretty solid boosted my confidence. I also knew that the next couple miles were the last couple gasps of flat before the mile 11ish. Running along the river in mile 5/6 gave me a boost of energy similar to the boost I get from the river at home. I was able to get my heart rate back down and prepped myself for the climb to and through Peakwood. 

Oh Peakwood, clearly last year I blacked out because I did NOT remember it kicking my behind this bad. It could have been the heat, it could have been the humidity or maybe even the two peaks it has to offer. But multiple times, I thought I could not climb anymore. My heart rate was way higher than usual so I took it nice and slow with the goal of strawberries and champagne at the very top. Here is a series of photos of my faking how happy I am to be in Peakwood...

See so happy... 

Once I got to the top of Peakwood, I took my time and enjoyed the cool washcloth, shot of champagne and strawberries. All this gave me the boost I needed to come on down the mountain, tackle a couple shorter climbs and get on down to the finish. 

Mile 11 has a climb that is just rude. Its not a mountain but it will make you cuss. Once you get past it, there is about a mile or so of decline and straight roads. I noticed that I was coming down way too quickly to make it through the next climb so I backed off. 

After passing out a couple salt tabs to marathoners that had some cramps, I hear “NIKKIA!!!” in a rather familiar voice. And there she was, Erin. Fellow ambassador and Chicago Marathon traveling buddy slowed down and climbed one of the two bridges between us and the finish line. We chatted and talked about the battle at hand. Honoring how hard this race is even while trying to finish it up. She and her husband charged on to the next 5 miles of their journey as I kept kicking through my last mile. 

Once again I hear “Nikkia!” and it was Ruth! Ruth was my accompanist for my senior lecture recital in college and I had passed along my promo code a few weeks prior. She was doing her first full, looking strong and pretty well for being so close to the finish. As she turned to the left, I charged on to the finish

As I make that final turn and straight away to the finish line, I hear “Proud Roanoke College Alumna” and cross the line on my 22nd half marathon. 

 This race is a must do. Even if you do it once and never again. No matter the distance you choose, its worth it. Its a course that gives a lot but can take even more. It forces mental and physical strength in a way other races don’t.

I don’t know how but after the race, I some how hung out in VIP, got rained on, had brunch and beer with sorority sisters, dinner with the RVA runs the Blue Ridge group and even sat through a good chunk of the Tank and the Bangas concert before heading back to the hotel and crashing.

However, the race weekend was not yet over. This year the race organizers added the Slow-K. Leis served as the race bibs, coffee and doughnuts as the pre and post race food and some speedy walkers made for a good morning and a good way to see all my Roanoke and ambassador buddies before hopping in the car and going home. 

I loved the Slow K because it allowed us to share war stories, laugh and shake it out before traveling home. I really hope they do it again next year. It was a blast! 

I can not recommend this race weekend enough. I may be a little biased but I cant imagine my spring without this race. It is fun, well thought out, full of activities (running and non) and is a quick get away from Richmond. Over the years,I have had the pleasure of watching the race and Roanoke grow but never lose its charm. I might even be charmed enough to attempt the full next year. Stay tuned. 

Until next year!

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What's Your Arena?: How a plus-sized marathoner practices gratitude for what her body can do with Nikkia Young

Have you ever signed up for a class at a gym or joined a running group and the day you’re supposed to show up you think of every excuse po

What's Your Arena?: How a plus-sized marathoner practices gratitude for what her body can do with Nikkia Young

Have you ever signed up for a class at a gym or joined a running group and the day you’re supposed to show up you think of every excuse po

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Jarmans Gap and the Calf Mountain Climb

Since I am training for a mountain half, it only makes sense to climb some mountains in prep. Rather than driving 3.5 hours to Roanoke, it was suggest we head to Crozet to get some much needed hill training. So early on a Sunday a couple weeks ago, Audrey, the Larocks and myself headed up to the base of Jarmans Gap Road.

It was hovering around 20 degrees and we knew it would be even colder at the top. 1500’ feet of elevation was all that separated us from the top. Yeah that’s all. Very similar to the elevation of Mill Mountain. The climb was very different. At many points Calf Mountain seemed to be steeper than I remember Mill Mountain to be. I wonder if because every time I’ve done Mill Mountain and Peakwood it was during the race so I had extra adrenaline rushing through my body. This climb was different. It felt like a hike. There were moments where it was easier to stop, turn around and walk backwards than to keep climbing the way we were. As we went higher, the air got thinner and colder. The views were pretty amazing even from the midway point. After 2.8 miles, we finally got to where Jarmans Gap Rd met Calf Mountain. We were greeted by a man that recommended various routes for the next time and how to keep from running up and down the mountain to get more mileage. We hope to implement some of those ideas the next time we head up. 

To be honest, coming down was way harder than I expected. Between my toes slamming at the front of my shoes, the steep terrain and the rocky soil; the further down we got the harder it felt. We came down the mountain in about half the time it took us to go up. And it seemed as if it was getting colder as we came down the switchbacks. 

The Larocks caught us coming down the mountain and we all went back to the orchard, finished together and headed over to Crozet Pizza for a victory lunch. It was a great idea to train on some serious mountain climb in prep for Blue Ridge and I can not wait to go back and see how much progress we have made when we make our way back later this month. 

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Here goes 2019!

Not going to lie, I am CLEARLY late on the whole New Year goals train. I can attribute it to not being quite sure how this year was going to land, a busy holiday season and as a result, no time to truly reflect. I believe that it is important to reflect and acknowledge what has happened and what I did accomplish before throwing more goals together. So here we are at February and I’m kicking off my goals for the year. 

RUNNING & RACES: 

My two big races this year are Blue Ridge Half Marathon and the Berlin Marathon. For the first time in a long time, I am not stuffing my spring and focusing on one big race. There are a few reasons as to why: I am working as a race director for two races this spring, I want to focus on doing well at Blue Ridge and I do not want to over do it going into training for Berlin. I will sprinkle half marathons and maybe another full in the fall. I am considering the Madison Mini, Queen Bee in Cincinnati and maybe a couple in New England to have fun and knock a few more states off in my 50 states before age 35 challenge. 

I will keep working on my speed, remaining grateful and mindful for what my body allows me to do and focus on having a recovery plan (and sticking to it). Last year, I figured out a training plan that worked and modified as needed. It seemed like the more I ran, the better I felt but I did not take recovery as well as I should have. I will continue to see my massage therapist, taking warm epsom salt baths and getting more sleep but I need to make sure I am foam rolling, drinking enough water and nuun and just making sure am not over doing it. 

Mostly, I am excited to build on what I learned about myself last year as a runner. 

WELLNESS & BALANCE:

For the goals that are not in the running and races category, they kinda support my running life in a way. This year in the effort of not wanting to over do it, I need to continuous strive for balance. Balancing my workouts, stress, life with my dog and boyfriend and my commitments. I looked at my life and did the Marie Kondo method of seeing what brought me joy and letting go of what does not. Letting go of the commitments where I did not feel appreciated or fulfilled, stop going to workouts that did not serve me or my goals and letting go of the negative thoughts that could hold me back. My goal is to practice yoga and meditation at least three times a week, maintaining my strength workouts and take more time doing nothing at all.    

Its all coming together and I am so excited to see what 2019 holds. VIVA! 

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Remembering Cindy

I struggled to write this. Not because of lack of memories, but for the pure abundance of such great ones. 

Running is one of those things that has brought me the most amazing people. People that have survived through some horrible life events, trials and tribulations but still show up to coach, volunteer at a water stop, be cheerleaders and run. 

For those of you that did not get the pleasure of meeting Cindy, just know that she was a sweet lady that had a fierce determination to not let a diagnosis define her. She was a coach, dispenser of some quality nuggets of advice, professional project manager with a solid tech background and champion of the back of the pack and advocate of just being out on the streets for no matter how short or long. 

When I think about the runs, the races, the laughs and conversations, all I can think is that I am so lucky to have met Cindy for so many reasons. I had the honor for a couple seasons to see her resilience up close. Finding out at her funeral that most of the time she was fighting stage four cancer only made my respect for her resolve even stronger. What a fighter! 

In my memory, a couple races hold some of my favorite memories: 

Running Historic Half, we found a new runner (Nora) that had never run a race before and she was not having a great time. Nora was so worried there would not be medals left. If you have ever been in the back of the pack, you know that this can be a risk. Immediately, Cindy would not let Nora believe they wouldn't have enough. We even reassured her that if they ran our we would run ahead and make sure she would have one of ours. Cindy and I adopted her around mile seven and kept talking her moving for a bit. When we finished, we looked back, gathered the rest of the Richmond contingent to cheer for her as she came in. In my mind, that race is a PR in Being Positive and Running for someone other than yourself. I have no clue what my time was that day, and sure I could dig it up but that wasn’t and still isn’t important. 

Training for an running the Philadelphia Love Run was a really great training season, thanks to Cindy. Normally, she didn’t run on Sundays as she was an active member of her church. However, she came out on a handful of Sundays so that I would have a buddy. We were both a wee bit concerned with the time limit for Love Run. She was trying different treatments for her condition and I was coming off of a marathon. 

On race day, Cindy was more than ready. If anything, I felt like I was the anchor towards the end. I don’t remember what we were talking about but when I think of that day, I have a wash of good feelings come over me. We beat the time limit, we weren’t last ( not that we even cared about that) and we were cheered on by all of our Richmond buddies as we were passed along the course. For the last two miles, I pretty much had Cindy as the rabbit to get to the finish. Her husband Stan, came out to get me across the finish. 

I could write book about the races, the runs, the brunches and all the good feelings I have about our friendship. It’s hard to accept she is gone and that I won’t get another chat about tech and project management or that we won’t get to run past Controversy Corner together or that we wont get another brunch. But there is a sticky sweetness in when you pass a dog on the run and I remember Cindy saying “ We greet all dogs and most people!” or remembering her phrase of “We always run the bridges” or just the wash of good feelings on any given Saturday morning as we roll into City Stadium. 

“How lucky are we that we have something that makes it so hard to say goodbye.”  

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Now that we have transitioned to 2019, it’s time to recap all the holiday runs that the Richmond Road Running community (I even missed a couple) has to offer!

Thw Saturday before Christmas is the holiday run for City Stadium Brunch Runners. Sadly this year we loss one of our group leaders but this run allowed us to all enjoy one of her favorite runs of the year and jingle all the way through town.

In the memorial spirit, Sunday Dog Pack also did a jingle bell run in honor of our dear friend. There were jingle bells, fireball fudge and lots of laughs as we got turned around on routes we do all the time.

For the last 5 years, on Christmas Day, I run the Lauderdale 5 miler (or 5k). We caravan to the start point and then run back to an open Starbucks and snacks that we set up. I can’t imagine my Christmas morning starting any other way.

And last but not least to close out the holiday run/race season, First Day 5k! This year I broke out an old choir dress to enter the formal wear part of the race. I’m certainly did not break any land speed record but I heard a steady pace dispute the dress and the unusually warm New Year’s Day.

And just like that it’s time to dive head first into some new goals- Blue Ridge Half Marathon and Berlin Marathon races are my main focuses. Getting stronger, getting longer distances and strength training are all the keys to my year long plan to PR both races. Wish me luck!

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Back to Back: City to Sea

November always tends to be a busy racing time for me. With the Richmond Marathon races on one weekend, Norfolk Harbor the next weekend and Turkey Trot to round out the month- it gets a little busy. Every year, I forget how much it takes to race this month. Here in Richmond, it is our first burst of actually cold weather. In the past couple years, it seems to have landed on Richmond’s race weekend. Luckily, this weekend wasn’t as cold as the last one. Norfolk can always be a mixed bag of rain, wind and cold but this year we just got brisk and dry weather.

Doing the Richmond Half Marathon for the third time was an interesting experience and another reminder why I don’t tend to do races more than once or twice. I felt too familiar with the course. However, it allowed me to really take in the course, look around and enjoy the day. My only goals were to feel good and have fun and I succeeded. 

From beginning to end, I felt good and I didn't let any negative voices come through. I ran as if I had nothing to prove and it was refreshing. 

Ironically, I decided to do the same thing in Norfolk. It was important to me to relax and enjoy. I did the challenge of the 5k on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday like I did in 2016. It was an extra special year because it was the third year that my lifelong friend Morgan and I decided to do this race and her first half marathon! 

The entire point of the weekend in Norfolk is fun. The race is sponsored by Blue Moon, the after party both days is awesome and with our hotel walking distance to various watering holes it is a booze heavy weekend. As a result, my easy going pace was extra easy. It was really flat and steady crowd support. 

I cant believe in four short years, I have tackled 21 half marathons and three full marathons. I am not completely decided on what is next for me. Maybe Berlin, maybe more full marathon training or focusing on how many states I can kick off this year. My own true focused goal for now is to PR the Blue Ridge Half Marathon in April. And for right now that might be enough! 

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Forever Forward and Forward Forever

THEY ARE HERE! One of my signature slogans #foreverforward was selected to be featured on Balega International Grit and Grace socks! A dollar from each pair is donated to Breast Cancer research as well! They come in two colors and are super comfy too!