Choosing A BQ Course (and beating FOMO)

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon, Race, Running and tagged with Boston Qualifying, Choosing a Race, FOMO, Marathon, Running March 8, 2017

When I went public announcing my attempt to BQ this year, I stated I’d be doing St. George Marathon in October.

But for a brief moment last week, I changed my mind.

After Phoenix Marathon, my good friend Bob messaged me congratulating me on my PR and telling me that he thought my chances to BQ were good and that I should consider a race that would qualify me for Boston 2018–the year he would be going.

I have A TON of friends going to Boston in 2018. My friend Marsha who qualified here two weeks ago is going.

My beautiful and speedy friend, Marsha ❤

Katrina is going, Carlee is going, my friend Kim is going, my friend Halley is going, I have no doubt Charissa will qualify next month–not to mention, a slew of friends here in Phoenix.

The FOMO is real, folks.

So when my friend, Bob, mentioned that I should consider Revel Big Cottonwood in September, I was intrigued. I was tempted.

The race was far enough away for me to get a good training cycle in. Revel races have good BQ rates. But most importantly, it would put me in Boston 2018. If I made it.

This just looks painful. (Source)

I was in. I thought about how much fun it would be to meet up with friends–friends whose BQ journey I’d followed. Now I could be in the race with them!

But as I waited to sign-up (my BQ training buddy Ashley was also in on this), I started to think about the negatives of changing courses. Up to this point, I had only thought of the plusses.

My husband had a huge PR at Phoenix too, finishing in 3:17–twelve minutes from his BQ time (he’d of course need a couple more minutes buffer).

I refuse to go to Boston without him.

If only one of us qualified in Big Cottonwood, the other one would be left having to do a race qualifying for the following year. We wouldn’t be doing Boston together.

When I thought about how much fun it would be to meet up with friends in Hopkinton, I realized it wouldn’t be as fun if it was without my husband, or watching from the sidelines.

Sticking with St. George means that we’d have several more chances to qualify if we didn’t make it there. I’m already signed up for CIM in December, and we’re both signed up for Phoenix in 2018. The back-ups (or fun runs, hoping it’s the latter lol) are set.

Putting all of our eggs in the one Big Cottonwood basket was just too risky.

So I didn’t sign up.

I’m proud I didn’t give in to FOMO and thought about what’s really important to me. My husband has been my number one supporter in my running journey and I know he’d say the same about me. Boston is going to get the both of us or none of us at all. ❤

Me and my fave

See you in St. George!

–When’s the last time you beat out FOMO (fear of missing out)?

–When’s the last time you succumbed to FOMO?

2017 Phoenix Marathon: Race Recap

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon, Phoenix Marathon, Race, Running and tagged with Marathon, Mesa-Phoenix Marathon, Phoenix Marathon, Race, Race Recap, Running March 2, 2017

I know you’re probably tired of hearing this 😉 , but I got another PR !!! That’s the short of it, but if you want the extended version, here it comes….

(By the way, excuse my absence–my last post should’ve also been titled Blogging Blues, lol!)

Okay, the Mesa-Phoenix Marathon. So, I had friends coming in from Texas–Scott who used to blog and that’s how I “met” him (and in real life in Chicago), his partner in crime and better half Marsha, and a cool dude named Roberto.

Me and Scott after Chicago Marathon 2015

I had convinced them to come because Marsha was looking to BQ and I knew she could do it on Phoenix’s course. When we first met back in Chicago, she had, unknowingly at the time, gotten super close and didn’t need a whole lot to shave. I was certain she’d get the sub 3:45 she needed.

With her goal being sub 3:45 and my PR being 3:58, I figured I’d just hang with her for as long as I could and see how it went. I didn’t mind combusting if that’s what happened; this wasn’t a race I was going for a real time goal anyway. I could risk it.

Marsha also wasn’t putting too much pressure on herself to BQ. While it would be great if she did, she wasn’t going to be fixed to her watch and causing herself race anxiety.

Having that mindset, we went into the race stress-free and full excitement for a long run with friends. That’s how we were approaching it.

Shakeout run with the Texas gang

The race started out bright and early at 6:30 a.m. in the middle of the mountains out in nowhere. We saw the sunrise the first few miles and we were in really good spirits promising everyone tequila at the finish.

“You get tequila!”

“And you get tequila!”

“Everyone gets tequila!”

(Spoiler: I did not have tequila at the end, lol!)

Scott had pacing duties so I never looked at my watch, instead, just followed his lead.

This was a pretty steep downhill so I was proud of how controlled we stayed. Thanks, Scott!

I felt good and when we approached the only hill of the race, I knew if I just stayed close, I’d be okay.

We didn’t skip a beat going up and my pace for miles 5 and 6 were 8:31 and 8:35!

It was a nice downhill for a while after that and our pace stayed relatively steady between miles 7-15.

Our conversation stayed steady too. We were running calm and enjoying the absolutely amazing weather we were having. We joked, we sang a little, we told Marsha to slow down. It was the most fun and relaxed I’d ever run a marathon… ever.

When we got to mile 16, I felt myself slowing down and I decided then to plug myself in and prepare for the last ten miles. I kept Scott and Marsha in my sight though, so I wasn’t too far behind them.

I stayed steady at around 8:30ish for a few miles

Call me Miss. Consistent 😀

and felt pretty good despite having slowed down a little (and really, I couldn’t believe I was still running an 8:30 something in the back end of a marathon!)

Mile 19–Cruising!

At mile 23, the cramping started. But like New York, I just accepted it and ran with it. They slowed me down, and I could feel them with each step in my calves, my shins, my quads, the tops of my feet–but I knew I had a sub 3:45 if I just kept moving.

And would you believe that the miles I ran with cramps were in the 9s?!!??!! I mean, I honestly am just in shock that that was my pace with freaking cramps!!!

You guys, seriously!!!

Mile 23–Must. Get. To. Finish. Line.

I turned the corner, and I finally saw the person I hoped to see–my husband. I knew that he’d finish before me and be at the finish line waiting, and it was that which kept me going.

Started and finished with a smile 😀

Me and my 3:17 marathoner ❤

As soon as I crossed the finish line, I saw Scott and Marsha who had also just finished. I could see the huge smile on Marsha’s face and I knew it–she had BQ’d!!!!! Scott snagged himself a nice little PR coming in after her (but before me)– we all finished within 4 minutes of each other!

We’re awesome.

I cannot get over how amazingly awesome and FUN this race was. I know that all races won’t be like this one, but I’m glad I finally had a race that was absolutely a blast from beginning to end. The PR is the cherry on top but honestly, it’s the people that made Phoenix Marathon unforgettable.

My two halves though–and average pace–I can’t believe it. CAN’T.

❤

–Have you had a race that was just an absolute blast??

A Bad Case of the Winter Blues/Blahs…..Or Maybe I’m Tired

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon Training, Running and tagged with Running, Running Blahs, Winter Blues February 7, 2017

A few people have asked me about Phoenix Marathon training and what plan I’m using. Yeah…..about that….

I’m not using Hanson’s.

I’m actually not using anything.

Phoenix was my back up race in case I didn’t get my sub 4 in NYC and we all know that that was a success. So Phoenix became my “fun” marathon–no goals, no expectations. Up to this point, I’ve never gone into a marathon like that. Each marathon I’ve done has been to reach a goal/time.

I’m lucky in a way, that I got my sub 4 in NYC because holy moly am I struggling to run right now. Once I’m out there, I’m fine–my paces are good. But actually getting out there is a monumental struggle.

So what’s going on??

The Goal Has Been Met

Training for New York City found me waking up at crazy o’clock several times. I never faltered. The discipline was there. I think a reason why I can’t lace up now is because I don’t have that carrot. I don’t have that goal.

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4:34 a.m. WHO WAS I????

I haven’t seen my 5 o’clock crew in a long time.

Go Away Winter

You all know I don’t do cold very well. I don’t like wearing layers. I don’t like not seeing the sun. I don’t like being cold. And while it hasn’t been the worst winter in Arizona by any means, the weather keeps me under the covers. The alarm goes off, but the bed always wins.

Summer: You know you guys wanna move here…

The Calm Before The Storm

The biggie after Phoenix Marathon, is Boston Qualifying. My first attempt will be at St. George this fall. I’m ready to go big in training for that, more so than NYC. The difficulty of the training excites me and since right now I’m not “having” to do that type of training, I’m essentially coasting. Maybe I should be doing some prep or pre-training (which I plan to closer to the start of BQ training), but right now I don’t see an urgent need.

I’m Tired

I ran a shitton training for NYC. More mileage than I’d ever done in my life. It’s not a surprise that my body is tired and not wanting to run as much as before. I’ve been trying to get in an adequate amount of mileage for Phoenix, but if you look at my weekly totals, they’re pretty abysmal. I figure I’m giving my body a little rest while still running some/enough to finish a marathon, lol!

So the goal for Phoenix is to finish. If my fitness from NYC can get me another sub 4, that would be awesome. That’s the pace I’ll be looking to run at and we’ll just see how it goes. All I really want is to finish the race happy as my last memory of Phoenix Marathon wasn’t.

And after Phoenix comes some legit rest. I plan on taking a few weeks off from running completely and then limiting my running before I began training to Boston Qualify.

So there you have it! A little Helly update 🙂

–Do you get the winter blues/blahs? Suz @Suzlyfe shared some really good pointers on beating the blahs today. Check it out!

–Are you excited for summer? 😀

–How do you motivate yourself to get out there when you don’t really wanna?