Team in Training and My Journey to the Nike Women's Half in DC

For two years (2013 and 2014) Nike held a half marathon in DC.  This year in lieu of having a race in DC, they decided to do a world wide race series.  The closest to the east coast this year was Toronto (I didn't bother entering the lottery.)  Last year when I did the Nike in DC, I had entered the lottery but didn't get picked.  That's where Team in Training came in.  They're a fundraising part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  In exchange for fundraising a certain amount of money, you got entry into a race of your choice.  This is basically the only way you can get into a lot of races if it sells out or you don't get in through the lottery process.  They also provide a lot of support for the runners with training, encouragement, and even a place to stay the night before the race if it's away from home.  Leading up to the Nike, I had a few other races to help with pre-race jitters. (The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler and Bunnypalooza.  You can scroll down to my previous entry for their race recaps.)  

The race started off the week before where I did an early packet pickup at a local race partner, Pacers.  (They also do their own races that I've reviewed on here as well.  The Jingle All the Way 5k/8k is their race.)  I did this to beat the rush, and because I could stop by there on our way to Bunnypalooza!  (As an added bonus, my parents lived nearby so I could stop by and say hi.) I also picked up a hat since how often would I be running a Nike race?? 

It figures.  The Nike crew was there doing a photo shoot, and there I was wearing an Under Armour hoodie, Athleta pants and Saucony shoes.  Oops!

The next week I decided to go to the big packet pickup in Georgetown with my Mom.  I had not been in that area for years, so I decided to go with her since she knows the area better...and it was a fun afternoon for the two of us!  We got there well before the expo started, so we had lunch at a nearby Starbucks, and shopped at the Nike store and Kate Spade.  There was a lot of hype for it, and for the most part it is justified.  First, I had to find my name on the sign outside of the Nike store.  (They had race merchandise at the store instead of the expo.)  

Then we still had time to kill, so before having some lunch I stalked the tent.  And even that was fantastic!

I love this sign!  It showed up again during the race in an underground tunnel early on.

This was what you could see walking in, and as you checked in your name would pop up!

The outside.  Those two people were NOT messing around and wouldn't let us in early.  (Darn!)  I think we were still among the first people into the expo.

My words to my Mom when I saw this "S*** just got real!"  The course is VERY similar to the Cherry blossom 10 miler I had run a couple weeks earlier, but to actually see a map of it was pretty intimidating!

On the way out you could sign the wall

A picture of me with my bib!  I brought it with me JUST to take a picture in front of this sign.  There were Nike employees on hand to take pictures of runners and homeless men meandering along muttering under their breath.

The night before the race we had an inspiration dinner for Team in Training where we got a good meal (mostly chicken and pasta), awards were given and we got to hear some stories from people that the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has helped.  

The escalator to the inspiration dinner.  All those people at the bottom are Team in Training staffers cheering for us!

 It was an early night, because we had to be in the lobby of the hotel at get this:  5am.  (My reaction to that was "There's a 5 in the morning now?)  It worked out fine, because I hardly get any sleep the night before a big race.  We then walked over as a group to the starting line so we could get our bearings and relax a little bit.  The morning of the race, the crowd was HUGE!  (Probably the largest race I've ever run.)

The Maryland Team in Training group at 5am just before we left!  They had us wear these shirts so we would be easy to spot on the course.

Since we got there so early, it was the perfect time for a pre-race picture since hardly anyone was around yet!  

The starting line!!  It was a slow walk to get there, but once we got past this point the crowd thinned out considerably.  There was even a red carpet leading up to the gate!

I remember before the race I was scared my Garmin wouldn't connect to the satellite--it took SO long that it didn't actually connect until seconds after the starting gun.  No matter though, because the race itself was fantastic.  The weather that morning was PERFECT.  A lot of the Team in Training coaches were along the course yelling "Go team!" and one even chatted with me and ran with me a little ways when he saw me walking.  (It was just what I needed to keep going!)

It was a perfect day for a race:  Not too hot, not too cold.  I needed a light jacket first thing in the morning, but soon after I was comfortable in a tank top.  (I loved being able to put my name on the front of it so the coaches could cheer for me!)  I also enjoyed the fuel they offered on the course--miniature sized luna bars (stashed for later), chews (my normal choice for fuel), and mile 12 was the chocolate mile where Whole Foods employees handed the runners truffles.  (I also stashed these.  I didn't want to risk it during the race.  But post-race they were glorious!)

I finished that day in 2:39:24, a PR for me!  (I finished the Baltimore half in 2:48:45 while injured.)  I was hoping to be able to finish in under 2:30:00, but I was happy with finishing 9 minutes faster than the previous half marathon!
But the best part of the whole race, was this guy holding a great piece of jewelry...

Forget the firemen!  I want a picture with the guy handing me the box!

What they don't tell you is now they've got firemen in tuxedos standing behind these guys with trays of the little Tiffany's boxes.  The lines were ridiculous and I wanted to get to my husband and my parents, so I opted against it.

Then came the line of tents and tables:  Tons of food, chocolate milk, water, and a tent to refresh.  There were face wipes and mirrors, and foam rollers and yoga mats for stretching.  I was just eager to find some REAL food.  I definitely drank the chocolate milk, but I was ready for breakfast.  Once I met up with my husband and family, we decided to walk back to the hotel (they held onto my overnight bag) and found a crepe place along the way.  We stopped for some breakfast and then my parents and my husband and I went our separate ways.  We took the metro home, and I was so excited to slip on my new race shirt in the car (I don't like to wear them during the race.)  

I still wear this jacket all the time.  It feels like street cred when it comes to racing.

A close up of the necklace!  I still wear this from time to time.

The necklace is probably a little smaller than a nickel, but I still love it.
The shirt was great too.  Nice and breathable for a long run! 

So, why go into this much detail about the race?  The lottery for the half marathon in San Francisco is NOW OPEN!!  (But not for much longer--it closes on Monday at 11:59am PDT!)  And I'm planning on trying for this race!  I've got my fingers crossed.  I've never been to California, and what a great excuse to stop there on the way to paradise to visit my in-laws!