Cellcom Half Marathon Recap

When I set my race goals on Friday, I mentioned that I hoped I would have time to post how the Green Bay Cellcom Half Marathon went.  Well, I have time after all.  The race was stopped due to excessive heat.

So, here's how things went down this morning:  we got up SUPER early (3:30am), showered, ate, and booked it up to Green Bay.  By the time we parked, we had about 45 minutes to hang out and wait for the race to start.  And then we were off! 

I had been hydrating like no other for the past few days (especially yesterday) because I knew the forecast called for sun and heat.  Still, the first water station came up about a half mile too late - I was thirsty!  I was moving along at a great pace though - I was at about 26.5 minutes for the first 2 miles.

I hit my stride earlier than normal (normal = ~4-5 miles in, today = ~2.5-3 miles in) and was feeling great - warm but great!  I was cruising along, stopping and hydrating at every water station (side note - Gatorade makes me sick).  Miles 1-7 just flew by.  It went so fast!

I had a hard time during mile 8, though I'm not sure why.  I was back at my goal pace by mile 9 and continued to speed up from there.

Then mile 11 came up.  Several police and all the volunteers were yelling at us to stop and head back to the last water station (about 2 blocks back).  The race was being called due to excessive heat.  The police told us that hundreds of people had collapsed and there were no ambulances left nor was there room at the emergency room.

We were 2.1 miles from the finish line and we had no choice but to stop and not finish.  I was feeling so good that I really wasn't feeling the heat that much and I knew I could finish the race - and finish it under my #3 reach goal of 2 hours and 55 minutes.

Having no choice, we were told that we should wait for a shuttle to take us back to Lambeau (where the start/finish lines were), but most of us chose to walk back because we were only 5-6 blocks away.  I ended up actually crossing the finish line but it wasn't real as I didn't actually finish the race.

I think what was so frustrating about this situation, even though I understand why the decision had to be made, is that I had worked so hard and was doing so well.  I trained for nearly five months.  I did 6 training workouts that were 11+ miles (two 13.15's).  I had to plan around this date for traveling for work.  It was definitely not the result I was looking for and I was mad.

I'm calming down now and starting to realize that, all along, I was in this for the training, not the race itself.  The race was just my celebration of working so hard.  It's a victory lap.  I know I'm capable of completing a half marathon.  There are several this fall in Wisconsin and I hope to sign up and train for another one.  I've been told that training the second time around is not as big of a deal and won't take nearly as long (though, I really didn't need nearly 5 months this time around).  I'm glad I did this and am happy with what I was able to accomplish. 

So, with all that being said, I was able to get some race stats.  I had 2 mid-race updates sent to me via my timing chip and I also wore a watch that I hit start on when I crossed the start line.  So, here's as much as I know about my stats/splits:

Mile 2 (unofficial):  26:30 (average of 13.25 min/mile, pace of 4.56 mph)

Mile 5:  1:03:56 (average of 12.786 min/mile, pace of 4.69 mph)

Mile 10:  2:09:05 (average of 12.9 min/mile, pace of 4.65 mph)

Mile 11 (unofficial):  2:20:13 (average of 12.75 min/mile, pace of 4.7 mph)

Yes, you read that right - Mile 11 was 11 mins, 8 seconds, walking!  I was booking it and feeling good!  If I were to have continued at the average pace listed at mile 11, and I likely would have, I would have finished the half marathon in 2:45:45.  Nice!  I'm very happy with my pace, I have never reached this speed in training and my 5-mile Turkey Trot pace was only 4.6 mph, which was really pushing it at the time.

I wish I could post a photo, but my mom left with her camera and won't be back before I leave.  I will post one when I get back to town and will ask her to post one to Facebook for those who are friends with either one of us. 

I have to hit the shower and then I'm off for three weeks!  I'll hopefully have lots of (good) hiking stories and great photos when I'm back!

Half Marathon Goals

Happy Friday!

Summer seems to be here to stay.  I am very excited about this.  In the past week, I have dealt with major drama (will be discussed in more detail in June), finishing my regular job, and moving.  It's been a busy and stressful week but everything seems on track.  Next up: half marathon on Sunday!

Since this is my first half marathon/long distance "race", I wanted to set a few goals.  One that I will be happy with no matter what and a few that I hope to accomplish but won't be heartbroken if I don't.  First, let's talk weather.  The forecast has been going back and forth between lots of rain or no rain during the race.  It's also supposed to be warmer than I prefer.  Nothing to worry about I think though.  I should be done by ~10am so it won't be too hot yet (hopefully!).

So my goals are:

#1.  To finish the full 13.1 miles and cross the finish line in one way or another (walking, skipping, crying, crawling, on a stretcher...whatever!) and be proud of all that I've accomplished.  I gave myself 5 months to train for this and successfully got through by myself so I want to celebrate all the work I've done.

#2.  To finish under 3 hours.  Since I'm walking, obviously it will take longer than most runners out there.  I finished one of my training 13.15 milers at 2 hours + 55 mins + 30 seconds so I know it's a good possibility that I will meet this goal.  The last 13.15 miler I did was just over the three hour mark (major headwind for 3/4 of it).

#3.  To finish under 2 hours, 55 mins.  This is reaching for me due to the heat (most of my training has been in the temperature range of 35-60F) and potential for rain (and my current stress levels), but I'd love to meet this goal!  If I don't, oh well!  I've come a long way no matter what!

Wish me luck!  I hope to post an update after the race but I can't guarantee I'll have time to do so before catching my flight.  If not, I'll post when I get back in town in three weeks! 

Triple Digits

Today's a big day.  I'd like to say that seeing a certain number on the scale doesn't matter because it's health that matters.  Health does matter, it is the most important thing.  I usually don't get excited when I change weight "decades".  I didn't get that excited when I entered "one-derland".  (Note: anyone who has been trying for a very long time to lose weight will likely know how important these milestones are in weight loss.)

I have been struggling with 2 pounds for about three weeks now (this was a mental struggle, not a physical one).  Finally, this past week, I got really sick of counting calories and not losing so I decided to just focus on healthy eating and proper serving sizes.  5 servings of veggies.  3 servings of fruit.  2 proteins.  2 milks.  2 whole grains.  Vitamins.  Every day.  And, what happened?

The last couple of pounds fell off and I've officially lost 100.2 lbs!

I was feeling tired and stressed and really didn't want to even try my last "long" (13+ mile) training walk today (t-14 days until half marathon!).  Let's just say that this has added a little motivation.  After breakfast.  And some coffee. 

And a little celebration dance.

The Power of Positive Thinking

Happy Friday!

About five-ish months ago, I was in my hometown visiting family.  I met up with a friend who I hadn't seen since high school (looking at you Keah!) and a very close friend (looking at you Sara!) and realized how positive they were about everything.  Somewhere along the line, I slipped into a deep hole of negative thinking.  Let's be honest, negative thinking brings you down in every single way.  It affects your home life, your mental health, your work, your health, the people around you...everything. 

I have been working over the past 5 months to turn my negativity around.  While, yes, I am human and I still fall into the negative thinking worm hole from time to time, I have been finding positivity to be my go-to attitude now.  I literally faked it until I made it.  (Side note - I never though you could actually 'fake it until you made it.'  You actually can!)

I am not an expert on the subject (I'm a geographer, not a psychologist), but there were several tricks that I used to lessen the grasp that negative thinking had on me.  I highly recommend trying these out if you are looking to change your attitude towards your life and situation:

1.  When something negative, unhappy, or unpleasant happens to you, stop, think, and then write yourself a list of why this negative thing can be a blessing in disguise.  If you are unable to do this in the moment (this is a hard switch to make), come back to it later.  What good can come out of the situation?  What is the silver lining?  Doing this everytime anything negative happens leads, over time, to this action becoming second nature.

2.  If you feel as though you've reacted poorly (or just not how you would have liked to have reacted) in a situation and are thus having negative and weighing thoughts, do your best to correct the situation and then give yourself permission to move beyond it.  If you apologize or correct yourself, you have done the best you can and that is all you can do.

3.  Spend 5 minutes in bed right when you wake up in the morning thinking positive mantras like:

  -  My day is going to be awesome.
  -  I am incredibly blessed.
  -  I am a hard-working, beautiful woman (or man!).
  -  No matter what others think of me, I do everything I can to be the person I want to be.
  -  No matter what situation arises today, I will handle it with grace and thankfulness.

I always thought positive thinking mantras were a little "granola", but really, they affirm positive thinking and really calm me down.

4.  Stop and think at some point every day about how your life is incredible, whether you have the support of your family and friends, a furry sidekick, a great job (or just a job in general), a significant other, and/or great health.  All these things are likely something that someone else would kill for.  Don't take them for granted.

5.  If you find yourself jealous of someone else, remember that Life is Not a Supermarket.  Just because someone else has what you want, doesn't mean that you cannot achieve the same thing.  There is not a limited amount of happiness to go around.  Go find yours!  It is important to support and be happy for those around you.  That genuine happiness will carry over into your life.

6.  If you find that there are certain people in your life that bring on those negative thoughts and feelings, make you feel bad about yourself, or just do not support you or the positive changes you are making (i.e. toxic friends - friends that are likely not bad people but maybe aren't right for you at this point in your life), it might be worth it to sit back and think long and hard about why they are in your life.  Is it time to reduce the amount of time you spend with that person?  Is the situation bad enough that your "toxic" friend is affecting you so greatly that you should just gently let them go?  You get one life, live it to the fullest.

7.  Finally, take time for yourself.  It takes time to get over the guilt of walking away from everyday duties to take the time to do something for yourself.  We have all grown up learning that being selfish (as in, saying, "HEY, this is ME time!") is a bad thing.  Taking time for yourself is not selfish, though.  Taking this time (for me, I work out or read a book) makes you a happier person which will in turn lead to a positive attitude.  I have first hand learned that this time away for myself makes me a better daughter, sister, friend, and employee.  I am happier, more productive, and more supportive of those around me.  Keep in mind, the dishes, vacuuming, work, and laundry will still be there when you get back and life will not end if it gets put off for a couple hours.


All these things take time and a lot of effort to add into your life, but, trust me, it's worth it.  Mental health is just as important, if not more so, than your physical health.  Climbing my way out of the worm hole of negative thinking has been one of the most important changes I have ever made in my life (which is saying a lot being that I've lost almost 100 pounds).  The work I have done has paid off ten-fold and will likely continue to as I go throughout my life with this commitment to being a positive, happy person, no matter what my situation is.

Great quotes for this topic:

     "A positive attitude may not solve all your problems but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."
- Herm Albright

 "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Winston Churchill

"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results."
- Willie Nelson

Do you have a positive thinking tips?

Happy a happy and healthy weekend!