Category Archives: Race

Tonight, I Fly To Boston…

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon, Race, Running, Travel and tagged with , , , , ,

Tonight, I fly to Boston…still in disbelief that I will run the 123rd Boston Marathon.

Tonight, I fly to Boston…knowing it was not too long ago qualifying was a far-fetched dream.

Tonight, I fly to Boston…and will be picked up by one of my bestest friends. While running brought us together, our friendship has grown through our belief that God brought us together for a purpose much bigger than running.

Tonight I fly to Boston…inspired. My BQ bestie, Ashley, suffered an injury while training and even though she couldn’t run in preparation for the big race, did everything else she could to be able to toe the start line. Her positive attitude is so contagious, and I’m so grateful for friends who teach me to look for the good in all situations.

Tonight, I fly to Boston…with my husband. It was our ultimate goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon together. An incredible feat that we had no idea how/if we’d accomplish it. It’s no coincidence that training to qualify and training for Boston helped our relationship grow so much this past year. The encouragement and support we’ve shared has brought us so much closer together, and together, we fly to Boston.

Tonight, I fly to Boston…the most unprepared I’ve ever been for a race. And even though I go knowing that the 123rd Boston Marathon won’t be my best marathon, tonight I fly to Boston knowing it was my best marathon that got me there. It was that marathon which has me going to Boston knowing I can do hard things.

Tonight, I fly to Boston.

 

One Year BQversary

Posted by hellyontherun in Marathon Training, Race and tagged with , , , , ,

Hi everyone!! I’m still here!!

What brought me out of the blogging shadows?? Last weekend was my favorite Mesa-Phoenix Marathon!!! Happy One Year BQversary to me!!!!!!!

BQ pain cave, woot woot!!!

Sub 3:30!!! #goals #done

❤

 

2019 stats

Gah!!! I love that race.

This year though, it was a half party for me as I opted to go 13.1 in preparation for Boston.

In freaking preparation for BOSTON!!!

I seriously still can’t believe I’m going.

Surprisingly though, training for Boston has not been the sunshine and rainbows I anticipated. Like the elevation chart the race poses, it has been a lot of up and downs with an overall net of down.

I’m not sure if training to BQ at Phoenix last year took everything I had, the excitement of my new job taking precedence over running, or a combination of the two plus being a mom, wife, friend–the truth is, I’m exhausted.

So I’m excited about Boston. I’m pumped about Boston. But any “goals” I might’ve had have gone out the window. And I know, I know, Boston is THE race to fun run, but the Type A competitive person in me doesn’t like training (especially for a marathon) without some type of end goal. Usually, I refuse to let it go.

Hoooweeeever…..I know I’m at a different stage of my running life now because frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn about end goals right now.

I won’t be looking back at training for my first Boston fondly, like I do looking back at my qualifying race, but I have a feeling that going in to the Boston Marathon with no pressure of a time is going to make for a super fun race–one that I’m sure I’ll look back on with as much joy as Phoenix.

You know who else is going to remember Phoenix Marathon for all its awesomeness? Elle at Afastpacedlife!!! Homegirl threw it down last weekend and you gotta go read all about it on her blog. There’s no way I can re-write her story ❤

I’ll try not to be a stranger!! So much to catch up on…

xoxo,

helly

P.S Kim K, you rock girl. That is all.

2018 3TV Phoenix 10k

Posted by hellyontherun in 10k, Race, Running and tagged with , , , , ,

This was my first time participating in Phoenix’s longest running 10k so I was super excited to cross it off my list.

The course is great–flat, fast, and PR friendly. And yep, I certainly benefitted from it finishing in 45:41, over a minute and thirty seconds improvement from my last 10k two years ago!

Thank you, Athlinks!

I was ecstatic, obviously, to PR and meet my time goal (which was 45:xx), PRs getting harder to snag and all. But, I have to admit that I was disappointed in my execution.

Oh, Helly….

The plan was to start at or around 7:25 and try to progress from there, but yeah, that didn’t happen. Of course, like most people say when they start out too fast, it felt good at the time, lol! And honestly, I didn’t look at my watch so I didn’t really know how fast I was going until the mile split rang. I knew 6:54 for a first mile was ridiculous, and I did try to slow down, and felt like I did–only to see mile two ring in at 7:01.

I knew I was in trouble then.

It never crossed my mind that perhaps I could maintain that pace. I knew I would slow down and I wanted to try my hardest to soften the damage, PR still in mind.

And sure enough, miles 3 and 4 were a struggle but nothing compared to miles 5 and 6 where I felt like I was running with sand bags for legs. I kept trying to surge, maintain frame, and not fully lose control. But it was hard.

When I turned the final corner (there were a lot of them), I saw the clock and saw that 45 was still there. I ran with whatever was left in me to squeeze in. And I did it!! Some how, some way I managed to not completely fall apart! #WIN

So while I am happy I met the 45:xx, 7:15 avg pace goal I had, I am a teensy bummed it was so ugly, lol! And not even pretty ugly–you know what I mean? I know the rules, I know better, so it’s hard for me to even say this is a lesson learned because I. already. know. this. lesson.

My husband, gosh I love him, told me, “Hey, if you reverse the miles and go backwards, you would’ve loved the splits!”

Which is true–so in my mind from now on, I’ll read the splits in reverse. Ha!

And yes, I will still gladly accept my new 10k PR, Athlinks! ❤

PR!!!!

–Have you gotten an ugly PR?

–Do you suffer from starting-out-too-fast syndrome?

Athlinks sponsored the 10k for me but I assure you, all thoughts and opinions and ugly splits are my own.