Run Jenny Run

Hello! My name is Jennifer and welcome as I chronicle my running, fitness and life pursuits all from the Nation's Capitol!

[runjenny]

A New Home for Run Jenny Run

February 22, 2015

I am happy to announce that Run Jenny Run has a new home!

You can now follow my adventures at http://www.runjenniferrun.com :) 

The page is still a work in progress (more about that in a post this week), but it is up and running! Enjoy!

Follow the new Run Jenny Run with Bloglovin

[runjenny]

Friday Five - Races to Run in 2015

February 20, 2015 

Happy Happy Happy Friday! Who is excited? Me! Why? No particular reason... short weeks always feel longer for some reason.  Today I am linking up with Mar, Courtney, and Cynthia and this week's theme is "Races to Run in 2015,"  I am going to share 5 races I am looking forward to the most.

1. Shamrock Dolphin Challenge

Image: Shamrock Marathon

Shocked? As a J&A Ambassador you've heard me profess my love for their races.  This is my first time running the event and I will be participating in the Dolphin Challenge - which consists of an 8K on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday.  While I am re-evaluating my goals (may not be the PR race I've been hoping for), I think it will still be fun.  PS - there is still time to register! PPS - The hashtag is #SHAMROCKON15.

2. The Love Run Philadelphia Half Marathon 

Image: Love Run Philadelphia Half Marathon 

Last year I participated in this rain soaked, sold out, inaugural event (race recap here).  Despite the rain, the course was great and I finished with a PR!  I will be running this half again with my friend Rachel - hopefully with the sun out. In case it does rain again, I wrote a post with Five Tips for Running in the Rain. 

3. Manassas Runway 5K 

Image: Manassas Runway 10K/5K 

I am very excited for this race as I will be running with Cliff.  The early bird registration for the 5K is still $25 and it comes with a tee and medal! Thanks to John at Run Geek Run for recommending this race. 

4. Bird in Hand Half Marathon

Image: Bird in Hand Half Marathon 

This year I will be running 4 races with my mom: Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, St. Michael's Half Marathon, BWC Women's Classic, and the Bird-in-Hand Half Marathon.  I am looking forward to BIH Half the most.  

5. Marathon #3 - TBD

What will it be? Lottery gods please let me in Chicago and/or Marines Corp :)

Here is my updated race schedule. There will be a few more added in the fall/winter and I am hoping to run races in DE and MA this year.

What race are you looking forward to the most?

Do you have any half recommendations for NJ, RI, ME, VT, CT, or NH?

[runjenny]

Tasty Thursday: Austin Eats

February 19, 2015

One of my favorite aspects of traveling is exploring the local food scene.  Today I wanted to share some of my Austin Eats from this past weekend.

On Friday we arrived shortly before noon with no plans for the day.  After some quick research we saw there was a restaurant close by called Moonshine Grill Patio and Bar.  Very cute, right?

We were seated and given popcorn and cornbread as appetizers!  I know so many restaurants use mason jars as glasses now, but it doesn't get old for me.

Because I knew I would be eating my fair share of tacos this weekend, I was craving a salad....I know....I know...not what you would imagine as your first dish in Texas.  I ordered a cornflake covered chicken salad.

As I mentioned on Monday, we had the most delicious tacos from the Turf N Surf food truck.

Ready for more tacos? Margs and Al Pastor from Guero's Taco Bar in South Congress.  

On Sunday morning we headed to Cherrywood Coffeehouse - a cute place close to University of Texas- Austin. I was a bit hungry and demolished my veggie breakfast taco before taking any pictures.

At the recommendation of one of our Uber drives, we ate at a Thai restaurant called Sway for our last dinner in Austin.  

In 2013 Sway was named one of the Top 50 New Restaurants by Bon Appetit.  I thought everything was pretty good.  Some veggie rolls.

Coconut chicken soup.  The curries were pretty spicy, so my friend Rosie and I were glad we ordered a pork dish called the Son in Law. 

And of course we ended the trip with some Blue Bell - the Pistachio Almond was amazing!

I wish we had a chance to have some BBQ, but overall I was happy with our food choices :)

Do you have a favorite ice cream flavor or brand?

Do you have a favorite food truck?

[runjenny]

Shamrock Half Training 2/9-2/15 - Week 4

February 16, 2015

Good morning, ya'll (had to use this since I am down south after all).  I've had a fun time in Austin, so sad to see the weekend (and warm weather) come to an end.

Monday 2/9 - Rest day

Tuesday 2/10 - Rest day 

Wednesday 2/11- Rest day 

Thursday 2/12 - 45 minutes personal training + 2 miles

Friday 2/13 - Walking around Austin

Saturday 2/14 - 4 miles + 60 minutes yoga  + 4 miles

Sunday 2/15 - 3 miles + 60 minutes yoga + walking around

Total: 13 miles

While work kept me busy (and exhausted) the first part of the week, I am pretty  happy with how the week ended.  It is nice to see the weekly mileage increase from last week, and I am looking forward to increasing my mileage back to the 20s. 

Because I was in Austin over weekend, we celebrated Valentine's Day little early at i Ricchi on Wednesday (very good).  Thanks Cliff!

Onto some Austin highlights.  As you all know, I am loving Core Power Yoga right now.  Prior to the trip I saw there was a CPY studio less than a mile from where we were staying, perfect since I was unable to attend any yoga classes in DC this week.

This studio was located across from Whole Food's flagship store.  I picked up this waterbottle before class. 

We walked along some trails on Saturday morning - it was beautiful out! There were loads of kayakers and standup paddle boarders out. 

I was able to get a few runs in (hills included) and swung by the State. Capitol building. 

Of course I could not wrap up this post without a picture of an Austin eats! I had these AMAZING tacos from the Turf N Surf food truck (4.5 stars on Yelp and a 96% rating on Urbanspoon).  I had one mahi mahi taco and a beef taco.

Today I am linking up with Tara at Running n’ Reading for her Weekend Update.

How was your weekend?

Do you like tacos? What is your favorite kind?

[runjenny]

Friday Five - Favorite Things at the Moment III

February 13, 2015

Howdy! Depending on when you are reading this I am packing, flying, or exploring Austin, Texas. Hope you all have a good President's/Valentine's Day weekend.

Image: 1138 Studios

Today I am linking up with Mar, Courtney, and Cynthia.  This week's theme is "Love" so I am going to share Five Favorite Things at the Moment III aka Five Things I'm Loving Right Now:

1. Sugarfree Soy Chai Tea Latte 

My new/old office is right by a Saxby's - I missed their chai tea lattes!

Image: Saxby's Coffee

2. Skinnytaste Cookbook

I love Skinnytaste recipes, and was so excited when she released her cookbook. Last week I made the Baked Potato Soup and it was delicious.

3. Longer Days

No explanation needed.

4. Cara Cara Oranges

When I went to Charleston, my friend Gerri had a cara cara orange before the half.  At first I thought she was eating a grapefruit because of the pink/red flesh, but turns out it was an orange.

5. Floriana's Lasagna

Floriana is an Italian restaurant located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. Cliff and I both love their lasagna - the handmade pasta melts in your mouth.  If you are in the DC area they usually have a Gilt City or LivingSocial deal online.

Five Favorite Things at the Moment I from September 2014. 

Five Favorite Things at the Moment II from December 2014.

Do you have any new favorites at the moment?

Any fun plans for the long weekend?

[runjenny]

Running and Racing Potpourri III

February 12, 2015

It's Thursday (my Friday for the week yay).  This work week has been busier than expected (coming home exhausted) - looking forward to my weekend in Austin, seeing my friends, and catching up on some comments/posts :) 

Trip to Austin? Is Jennifer running this weekend? How was this missed? It happens to be Austin Marathon/Half Marathon weekend, while I considered running it, there will be no racing involved :) Four of my friends and I are meeting in the Lone Star State for a girl's weekend. 

Okay...onto some Running and Racing Potpourri III:

1. =PR= Trail Series

After reading Kim's Run Your Heart Out 5K Race Recap, I went on to Potomac River Running's Race Calendar to check out which races I will use my race pack on.  I came across the =PR= Trail Series, which are four FREE trail races this spring.  As some of you know, one of my goals is to try a trail race this year, so I was happy to find this.

Image: Potomac River Running

2. Shamrock Weekend + Bart Yasso

I am looking forward to the Shamrock Dolphin Challenge! I learned this week that Bart Yasso will have two speaking sessions (one on Friday and one on Saturday) at the Shamrock Expo.  The title of his chat, "The Joy of Running; Lessons, Wisdom and Insights from Running Over 1,200 Races World Wide." Here is the Speaker Schedule for Shamrock. 

Image: Shamrock Marathon 

3. Half Marathons = Medals?

There was an interesting article this week in the Wall Street Journal titled, "Want a Medal or Something? Many Do." This article followed NYRR Fred Lebow Manhattan Half Marathon weekend when some participants expressed disappointment that NYRR did not give medals following this race.  After participating in NYRR's Brooklyn Half Marathon and NYC Marathon, I've become familiar with their race calendar - they are pretty explicit when there are medals/no medals at a race.  What are your thoughts?

Running and Racing Potpourri I

Running and Racing Potpourri II

What do you think about the WSJ article about medals? 

Have you met Bart Yasso at a race? Listened to any interesting speakers at an expo?

[runjenny]

Shamrock Half Training 2/2-2/8 - Week 3

February 9, 2015

The weekend goes by so quickly! I definitely have the case of the Mondays!

Monday 2/2 - 1 mile 

Tuesday 2/3 - 2 miles + 60 minutes personal training

Wednesday 2/4 - Rest day 

Thursday 2/5 - 2.3 miles + 60 minutes personal training

Friday 2/6 - Rest day 

Saturday 2/7 - Langley 8K 

Sunday 2/8 - Rest day

Total: 10.27 miles

This week called for a 10K for my long run (I follow a modified version of Hal Higdon's intermediate half marathon plan for long runs).  This past Saturday I ran the DCRR Langley 8K as my training run (free races for the win).  I am glad I did not study the course map ahead of time because it was hilly! I definitely got my butt kicked and had to walk up the last mini hill.  Thank goodness I was running with my friend Rachel, she was definitely encouraging and did a great job with all the hills!

Image: Courtney 

Courtney was volunteering at the event and was able to snag the above picture-thanks! Mar also ran it and has a nice recap of the race here.  While Shamrock will be flat, this 8K made me realize I need to incorporate more hill training (focused hill repeats and/or hillier training courses).  Following the run I had brunch with my mom. 

We went to Kapnos, where we enjoyed some Greek food. This restaraunt is owned by a former Top Chef contestant, Mike Isabella.  Their current head chef was a contestant on the show this past season.  My favorite dish was the melitzanosalata (smoked eggplant, roasted peppers, walnuts, and feta).

Later in the evening I enjoyed some sushi with Cliff.

Today I am linking up with Tara at Running n’ Reading for her Weekend Update.

How do you incorporate hills into your training?

Any hill workout recommendations? Indoor or outdoor.

[runjenny]

Tasty Thursday - Oatmeal Pancakes

February 5, 2015

Tasty Thursday is back with a new recipe...cue yayy!!  A couple of weeks ago my friend Rachel shared a delicious Oatmeal Pancake recipe that is quick and easy to make (you may have seen it on my IG or from my training log here). 

Ingredients

1/2 cup of oats 

1/2 cup egg white beaters (regular egg whites work too - they taste a little different) 

cinnamon (as much as you desire, I use 3-4 shakes) 

sugar (I use a dash of Truvia)

optional: syrup, honey, fruit, agave as your topping 

This recipe makes 1 pancake.  If you want multiple pancakes, Rachel recommended using separate bowls so the egg is evenly distributed.  

Pre-heat your pan (grease if non-stick) or griddle

Put the oats, egg whites, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. 

Mix well.

Pour the battle into the pan or griddle (the oatmeal may clump).

Use a fork or spoon to spread the oatmeal.

Let the pancake stand until the edges begin to solidify.

Flip and let it sit for about 15 seconds and it should be done!  

Top with your favorite syrup, fruit, or sauce.

While not fluffy, I think these pancakes are tasty

Easy and quick to make in the morning

Leaves me satisfied through lunchtime 

Do you have a favorite pancake recipe? 

Do you like oatmeal for breakfast? 

[runjenny]

Monthly Goals - February 2015

February 3, 2015

According to Phil....looks like another 6 weeks of winter.  Anyone watching Groundhog Day this week? Today I am going to recap my January goals and share my February goals (if you do a quick scan....not much a difference there...actually no difference). 

1. Run/Walk/Elliptical 75 miles

I ran/walked/elliptical for 53.95 miles, which was similar to my December total.  This past month I recovered from my foot issue and the flu, so I am not bummed about that total.

2. Strength Train 2x/week

Pretty good, I strength trained 6 times this month. 

3. Yoga/Barre 3x/week

In January I increased this goal from 2x/week to 3x/week based on my December.  I only went to yoga 3x this month.

4. Plank 2x/day

I planked at least 1x/day.  Very happy that my time is 1:45. 

5. Swim 1x/week

Zero.

1. Run/Walk/Elliptical 75 miles

I am starting out this month healthy and recovered - I think this goal is attainable for February. 

2. Strength Train 2x/week

Keeping what works. 

3. Yoga/Barre 3x/week

I've become a bit of a CPY fangirl as of late, so I think I will be able to attain this. Plus there are so many yoga challenges around, it's difficult not to be inspired.

4. Plank 2x/day

I know I can get into the habit of planking in the morning/evening again.

5. Swim 1x/week

Printing out the operating hours at the pool and blocking out time on my schedule. 

How did you do this month? 

Are you participating/have you ever in a yoga challenge?

[runjenny]

Shamrock Half Training - 1/26-2/1 - Week 2

February 2, 2015

Wow what a game! I loved when Missy Elliott came out and performed.  Of course I immediately went to the Amazon store and downloaded this song.  Definitely reminded me of college!

Monday 1/26 - 1 mile + 5 minutes stair climber + 60 minutes personal training

Tuesday 1/27 - Rest day

Wednesday 1/28 - Rest day

Thursday 1/29 - 2.5 miles + 60 minutes personal training

Friday 1/30 - Rest day

Saturday 1/31 - 8 miles

Sunday 2/1 - 60 minutes yoga + .5 mile

Total: 12 miles 

This week was still busy on the work front, but should be back to normal this week.  I hope to increase my mileage back to the 18-20s.  The highlight of the week was hitting a 1:45 forearm plank.... next up... 2:00!! Saturday was extremely cold so I dragged myself to the gym (sooo quiet on a Saturday night).  I had not planned to run my 8 miles inside (was scheduled for the next day), but a couple of Law and Order episodes made it happen.

On Sunday I went to Core Power for a little Yoga Sculpt with weights.

On Saturday I visited one of my friends from business school and her new house, and we had brunch at a new Indian restaurant called Ananda.  Below is an avocado salad.

While there were omlettes and french toast, I opted for the palak paneer - it was tasty! The ambiance was amazing (not what you expect) and they own the Ambassador Dining Room in Baltimore.

Today I am linking up with Tara at Running n’ Reading for her Weekend Update.

Did you run inside or outside this past weekend?

Do you have a favorite Indian dish?

[runjenny]

Friday Five - Favorite Indoor Workout (CPY)

January 30, 2015

Happy last Friday of January! Crazy, right?!  Today I am linking up with Mar, Courtney, and Cynthia and this week is "Favorite Indoor Workouts."  Through ClassPass, I've been able to try several new studios and workouts.  Today I thought I would share five reasons why Core Power Yoga is currently my Favorite Indoor Workout:

1. Variety of Classes/Levels

They offer Core Power Yoga 1,2 and 3 (Vinyasa), Hot Yoga, Hot Power Fusion, Yoga Sculpt and Core Restore.  My favorite is Yoga Sculpt.

2. Yoga + Cardio + Sculpt (with weights)

Describes a Yoga Sculpt Class, its like three classes in one! The music is fun and the heat is on (literally).  Definitely a good total body workout.

3. Sweat Factor

Depending on the instructor and the class the temperature/humidity will vary.  Be prepared to sweat. 

4. The Music

Upbeat music - similar to a cycling class.  It mirrors the sequences we are about to go through.  Expect high energy songs for the cardio sessions.

5. Nice Facilities

The facilities are really nice - bright and large.  The sitting area and locker rooms are pretty modern and they have showers available (you will need to bring your own lock if you want to secure your belongings).

Have you tried Core Power Yoga or a similar yoga class?

What is your favorite type of yoga?

[runjenny]

2015 Chicago Marathon - I Want You!

January 28, 2015

Some of you already know (or figured out through comments) that the Chicago Marathon is my top choice for a fall marathon.  Why Chicago?

Image: Chicago Marathon

The obvious - a flat and fast course.

I've never visited Chicago.

Would be fun to run five of the six World Marathon Majors.  I do not think I will ever qualify for Boston (hence 5/6)...I know never say never...I've read some great success stories (while I fully support the charity runners, I do not see myself taking that entry route). 

Deep dish pizza, of course!

I've been stalking their Facebook and website for the past couple of weeks months for 2015 registration information.  I think the NYC Marathon experience (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) spoiled me... their social media/website was always updated. I digress....back to Chicago....

Yesterday, organizers made a tiny update (the entire site has not been scrubbed of 2014 information) that "the lottery entry period will be open for six weeks starting in March. The dates and times for the lottery entry period will be available in February." This means lottery confirmation will occur in April.

The Marine Corps Marathon (my backup and my first marathon) is held a couple of weeks following Chicago, but announces lottery status ahead of Chicago.  I wish the lotteries were conducted according to marathon date....oh well.  I will enter both and see what happens:

IN - Chicago; OUT - Marine Corps (fine with me)

OUT - Chicago; IN - Marine Corps (this works + plus it's MCM's 40th Anniversary)

IN - Chicago; IN - Marines Corps (decisions decisions-defer one, run both?)

OUT - Chicago; OUT - Marines Corps (need backup #2)

Are you entering the Chicago lottery this year? Have guaranteed entry?

October/November - backup #2 suggestions?

[runjenny]

Shamrock Half Training - 1/19-1/25 - Week 1

January 26, 2015

Last Monday marked the end of my Charleston Half Marathon training posts.  Marred with injuries and the flu, I look forward to a fresh start as I begin (well transition) training for my next goal race, the Shamrock Half Marathon. I will also participate in the Dolphin challenge, which also consists of an 8K the day before. 

Image: Shamrock Marathon

Monday 1/19 - 45 minutes personal training (work ran over)

Tuesday 1/20 - Rest day 

Wednesday 1/21 - Rest day

Thursday 1/22 - Rest day

Friday 1/23 - Rest day

Saturday 1/24 - 60 minutes yoga sculpt 

Sunday 1/25 - 6 miles and change 

Total: 6 miles and change

Unfortunately there were more rest days than workout days last week.  Between work (project transitions) and evening social engagements (rescheduled dinners), I was unable to get gym or studio time until the weekend. Mirror pic before CPY.

The highlight of the week was my 6 mile run on Sunday.  It was a beautiful day out, and we felt strong at the end of the run.  While running my friend Rachel shared a pancake recipe with me... of course I had to make it immediately following the run.

Sunday was also spent showering my friends Debbie and Avi (they are expecting their first child next month).  It was fun to see them and their friends/family.  We decorated onesies for them, below was my contribution.

Following the shower, I watched the Interview (now available on Netflix) and Blend (Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler) with Cliff...a nice relaxing way to end the weekend.

Today I am linking up with Tara at Running n’ Reading for her Weekend Update.

How was your weekend?

Seen any good movies recently?

[runjenny]

Friday Five - Things About Me III (HS Edition)

January 23, 2015

TGIF - this week felt so long! Today I am linking up with Mar, Courtney, and Cynthia and this week’s theme is “Five Things About Me.”  This theme is always fun to participate in because you learn so much from each other.  Today I am going to put a spin on it and make it a high school edition.

1. Attended the same High School as my mom (sort of)

My high school was renovated my freshman (9th grade) and sophomore (10th grade) years of high school.  During the construction our school temporarily relocated to a holding school (a former high school), which happened to be the high school my mom attended.

2. Student Government

I was class president sophomore (10th grade) though senior year (12th grade) of high school. Highlights include: homecoming, spirit week, and prom (pic below). 

3. Swimming Swimming in the Swimming Pool

I was on the swim team all four years of high school.  I usually swam the 100 butterfly and/or 200 individual medley.  My favorite was the latter.

4. Lacrosse

Did you know lacrosse is Maryland's official team sport (randomly the official sport is jousting)? I played all four years of high school.  The picture below is from senior year - snazzy warmups eh?

5. BSB vs. N'SYNC

The late 90s and early 00s brought boy band fever.  While I liked both bands.... I preferred the Backstreet Boys.

Friday Five - Things About Me I (Travel Edition) 

Friday Five - Things About Me II

What clubs, sports or activities did you participate in during HS?

Backstreet Boys or N'Sync?

[runjenny]

Tasty Thursday: Charleston Eats

January 22, 2015

Tasty Thursday is back! Over the next couple of weeks I will resume my recipe posts, but today I wanted to share some of my Charleston Eats from this past weekend. 

Charleston has over 200 restaurants! How were we going to choose? Luckily a few of my friends had recommendations and we used their list as a starting point.  Here are a few of my foodie highlights:

Post race brunch at Rutledge Cab Co. This was not located in historic downtown Charleston.

Yummy swiss and mushroom burger.

Sunday brunch at Macintosh, which is located on King Street.

Nice ambiance.

The "Mac Attack" which was pork belly, eggs, over a bone marrow bread pudding.  Soo savory and delicious.

Raisin cake and honey butter to share.

Slightly North of Broad (also known as S.N.O.B aha) for our last dinner.

While preparing for the trip Amy told me that Charleston Restaurant Week also coincided with race weekend. For those unfamiliar with Restaurant Week, it is a 7 day period (or longer) in which participating restaurants offer a prix fix menu for two or three courses (ex. $20 for a two course lunch or $30 for a three course dinner). 

We sat behind the chef's table with a view of the kitchen.  My favorite meal of the weekend was the shrimp and grits....SOOO GOOD!

Followed by an amazing butterscotch pumpkin bread pudding.

I wish I had a chance to try Hominy Grill, but will save that for next time.

As far as getting around the city my friends and I did not rent a car.  We ended up walking or using a service called Scoop. 

The business is about two months old and offers free car rides in the downtown Charleston area.  They use electric cars and are able to provide free rides by selling advertisements to local businesses in the area (the ads are displayed on iPads in the car).  Reservations can be made ahead of time and one of the co-owners, John, was very helpful with his recommendations.  Tips are optional, but always nice (range between $0-$40). 

Catching up?

Part 1: 2015 Charleston Half Marathon Race Recap

Part 2: Visiting Charleston Around Town

Favorite meal - breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner?

Do you like shrimp and grits? Do you have a favorite grit recipe?

[runjenny]

Visiting Charleston - Around Town

January 21, 2015

Part 1: 2015 Charleston Half Marathon Race Recap

The best perk of a Saturday morning half is having the remainder of the weekend free of pre-race rituals.  Following the race, we had a 1.5 days to explore/tour Charleston.  Here is a snippet of our adventures. 

Visiting the Charleston City Market, sometimes referred to as the Strawmarket.

If you are from the DC area - the concept is similar to Eastern Market in Capitol Hill, except the vendors were inside. 

Beautiful strawbaskets and strawflowers.

We also had a chance to tour the city with Palmetto Carriage.   This turned out to be a lot more enjoyable than I thought it would be.

We met at the Big Red Barn right outside the Strawmarket.

Hopped on board one of these carriages (I made reservations). 

And our wonderful guide "Bubba" took us on a one hour tour of historic Charleston.  He was extremely knowledgeable and it was nice to sit down for an hour after running the half that morning.

Beautiful homes - which are made of brick and stuccoed to give the appearance of stone walls.

Bubba and Miley (the mule) took us along Rainbow Row.

Following the carriage ride we visited the Pineapple Fountain in Waterfront Park.

Image: Nathasha

The city is very walkable and the next day we ended up walking a total of 7.5 miles (it did not feel like it). 

We walked on Broad Street and Meeting Street. Below is the "Wedding Cake" House.

Visited the park again - scene of mile 3.

Explored the homes that lined the water.

So jealous of this running route!

Heading back towards Market and King Streets.

Pretty murals.

The remainder of Sunday was spent shopping on King Street and relaxing at the hotel.

On a fun note, my Oiselle Flockmate Ashley tweeted this last night:

So fun that Runner's World quoted my blog!

Next time: Charleston Eats!

Do you prefer Saturday or Sunday races?

Have you gone on a carriage tour?

[runjenny]

2015 Charleston Half Marathon Race Recap

January 19, 2015

This past Saturday I ran my 19th half marathon in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina with my friends Emily, Gerri and Nathasha (here is her recap). 

Image: Charleston Marathon

This half has been on a bucket list ever since I read Nevie's recap from last year's half.  When I was drafting my race schedule for this year the Charleston Half Marathon was an easy choice - charming city, historical sites, amazing food, and "warmer" weather. 

Traveling

After work on Friday, we took an early afternoon flight from DCA to CHS.  The flight was quick, a little over an hour, but we ended up sitting on the tarmac for about 20 minutes because there were no gates available upon arrival.  By the time we exited the plane it was nearing 8:00PM.  We quickly found a taxi van and took a 20 minute ride to our hotel, the Courtyard Marriott - Charleston Waterfront. Supercute, right?

We checked in and made our way to Fleet Landing Restaurant (thanks for the rec Rachel) for our dinner (I'll have a separate food post this week).  By the time we finished it was nearing 10:00PM.  At that time we wished the half was on a Sunday vs. Saturday, but we knew there were perks to a Saturday race (able to enjoy the rest of the weekend).

Packet Pickup / Expo

Luckily for us, there was packet pickup on race morning.  We left our hotel at 7:00AM and walked about a mile to Burke Middle High School.  Cool truck, right?

Packet pickup was housed in the middle/high school gymnasium.  There were also a couple of vendors in the area - which was convenient if you forgot a gel or needed gloves.  It wasn't too cold out, maybe the 40s/50s, but it was nice to stay warm inside and use an indoor restroom.

When we arrived the lines were maybe 4-5 people deep, not too bad. This is the first time I saw a bib hanger like the below.  There were laptops available if you forgot your bib number.

Here are the goodies from the race - personalized bib (pretty standard now), long sleeved technical tee, and a spike bag.

Here is an up close view of the shirt design.  A local artist produced this - pretty, huh?

Image: Charleston Half Marathon

Instagramming it up of course! Thought this picture was adorable!

All proceeds from our events benefitted the R. Keith and Deborah C. Summey Youth Endowment for the Arts (YEA), a local non-profit that supports fine arts programming in Charleston County Schools.  There were art installations in the gym - which was fun to look at.

It was fun to meet Amy and Abby after following their training the past couple of months - very nice and super helpful!

After a bathroom stopped we headed outside towards bag drop and the start.

Race Goals (“A” least probable and “C” most probable)

If you asked me what my race goals were this past fall it would have definitely included a sub 2:30:00. 

A - Break 2:40:00 (12:13 min/mile)

B - Break 2:45:00 (12:36 min/mile)

C - Break 2:50:00 (12:58 min/mile)

I was a bit bummed that my foot and flu derailed this training cycle - but I know it was important to allow my foot to recover so I wouldn't miss the spring season or risk further injury! I didn't get the mileage I would have liked, do I knew I had to adjust my goals based on recent training runs/races.

Charleston Half Marathon

Okay back to the recap..... we went outside and walked through the parking lot to bag drop off.  I giggled at the bag drop off truck - a tiny U-Haul.  We wrote our bib numbers on a sticker and affixed it to our bags.  Some people used their spike bag, but I put mine in a plastic bag so the sticker would not slide off.

We made our way to the starting line and I said goodbye to Gerri and Emily.

Excited for the start! Even more excited to wear a tank top.

The race is a point to point course that begins in downtown Charleston and ends in North Charleston (at another high school).  The first third of the race goes through beautiful historic Charleston, then along some highway (boring) and finishing up thorough North Charleston Park.

Miles 1-4: 11:43, 14:31, 11:59, 12:23

The first four to five miles were my favorite portions of the course. 

This is shortly after mile 1.

We ran along the waterway (even passing our hotel), and had views of palm trees and huge homes.

Last year I noticed my picture taking decreased throughout the year, so I made an effort to take several action shots.  Did you notice my mile 2 split....14:31? I thought it was very strange.. I wasn't tired at all, but I thought... geez did I take too many picture pauses?  Keep note of this for the end.

Since I thought I just slowed down to a 14 minute pace, I put away my camera and picked it up a bit. Here is a picture of South Battery.

Running around the mark towards mile 3.

Enter historic Charleston!! The homes were amazing! At times it felt like we were running on a movie set.  Fun fact: The Patriot was filmed in Charleston.

Running along South Battery.

Miles 5-8: 11:51, 11:52, 12:18, 12:16

I didn't have many usable pictures for miles 5-8 which was a straightaway on King Street.  Running along the lower portions of King Street was enjoyable - loads of shops and restaurants, but it was mostly a flat straightaway along the highway/train tracks (I read about it on Abby's blog so I was mentally prepared). Around miles 7-8, my right foot started to feel a little funny.  It wasn't hurting, but a bit stiff.  At that point I decided to mix up the running with a little walking to let the foot rest a bit.

Miles 9-13: 12:16, 12:38, ?, 12:45, 13:38

At mile 10 we split from the marathoners and shortly after mile 11 (after a baby hill) we entered North Charleston Park and ran along a small trail (a little soft dirt mixture/mainly paved).  It was nice to get off the highway and see these huge sweeping trees that are so iconic of Charleston pictures and paintings.

Nice and shaded. I'm not sure what happened with my last mile - oh well!

As I neared the finish line I could hear the music and crowds.  I finished with a time of 2:44:38 or 12:43/mile 2:42:22 (adjusted time), meeting my "B" goal.  I was surprised and happy with my time, which was nearly identical to my time at the Harbor Lights Half Marathon in November. Even though my training was not where I would have liked it to be, it was nice that I did not lose too much fitness.  I look forward to the next training cycle and hope to get back to my PR of 2:33 or below :)

After I picked up my bag (which took a bit because someone's sticker landed on my bag so it was organized in another section), I met up with Gerri, Emily and Nathasha (congrats) and headed to the finisher's village.

Shrimp and Grits, yes please!!

With my fellow finishers.  I loved the artwork that was displayed.

And voila!

Final Thoughts

Beautiful beautiful city!

I loved the first and last sections of the course, I could do without the highway.  I understand with the marathon, 5K, and permitting it may be difficult to alter the course.

Speaking of the course - SUPER flat!

Very happy there was race day packet pickup, which was great for the out of towners.  Nathasha mentioned it was crowded when she picked up her bib on Friday.

There were so many volunteers out there and I think they were trained at our hotel. 

I like when race weekends have a variety of distances - marathon, half and 5K (called the Shrimp and Grits 5K).  I think 5Krs also received a medal.

Along with the shrimp and grits there was also beer, mimosas and coffee.

Runners could drop off their clothing at tables along the course and could look for them finishing the race at bag drop off.

The race website indicated runners could use the high school showers following the race - which is nice.

There were shuttles that took us back to the starting area (but it took awhile).

I like that the race proceeds go towards the arts.

So remember earlier in the post when I thought I went from an 11:43 split to a 14:31 split at miles 1 and 2? Well it turns out that the lead vehicle made a wrong turn between miles 1 and 2 that added .3 miles.  Race organizers quickly posted the below on race morning:

"As most of you who ran yesterday realized, the lead vehicle led the marathon and half marathon down the wrong street between mile one and two, causing the races to be slightly long. We sincerely apologize for this and we are working on a plan to adjust all times for the total distance you ran to the true marathon and half marathon distances. This will require an added distance which we will take ASAP and advise once completed. Our apologies again for this happening and we sincerely hope you were able to enjoy an otherwise beautiful and festive day. As you know, the after marathon bike rides are taking place as we type so once those are complete an official email will go out to all participants."

It is nice that they recognized the mistake and apologized right away - it did not bother me too much.  I did feel bad for those who were aiming for a BQ and may have missed it.  I would be curious what my time adjustment would be and how it would impact those who would qualify for Boston.  Despite this (it happens), I still had a wonderful time and would run this race again.  I would even come back to Charleston even if I was not running.  I hear the Cooper River Bridge Run is fun. As per usual, here is my post race/shower meal at the Rutledge Cab Company.

Next time: Around town

Have you ever visited Charleston?

Have you ever run a race in which there was a time adjustment?