Why I ran a Virtual Marathon

Hi.  Remember me? Holly (Thrifty Runner) here!  So...2020 was crazy, right?  I wrote this awhile ago and because of job/depression/anxiety/impostor syndrome issues, it sat in my drafts folder...along with drafts for the fall races I got to run in 2019, 2019 Bird Camp and the ONE race I got to run in person in 2020.  So I'm publishing this now in the hope that it'll be the kick in the butt I need to start writing again and keep me hopeful that there's even a remote chance that racing can start again later this year.  

So without further ado, here's my recap of my second marathon ever...which was virtual because 2020.  Enjoy!

...

I never thought I would only run one race in 2020 and it would be one that I signed up for on a whim and never took super seriously.  It was just a training run.

Then Covid.

When Covid hit in March my entire race season was bumped to the fall and then cancelled, went virtual or given the option to defer to the next year's race.  I had a friend who was signed up to run a marathon in the fall and I was one of those people who said "why would you want to run a marathon virtually?  That sounds like a TERRIBLE idea. DEFER!"  

Then I thought about it.  And honestly, it didn't sound like the worst idea.

I needed routine.  

Like a lot of people, I lost my job due to covid.  Not only did I lose a paycheck, I lost a sense of routine.  I  cried when I had to pack up everything from my job, not knowing if I would ever need it again.  (I still don't, but I sincerely miss it.)   Having a run on my calendar and knowing I have to get it done to move on with my day doesn't sound like much, but it's something when you don't have much else on your schedule.

I needed something to work towards.

I was just running for the sake of movement.  I  didn't have any sort of training plan so I'd run 30 minutes one day, an hour another, if I was feeling extra anxious I'd go for a longer run.  After a point it felt weird not having anything prescribed and I started dreading getting in my runs and boot camp workouts.  (There are still some days I don't want to run, but having that end goal helps!)

I needed an event on the calendar to be excited about.

With having so much cancelled and so many scary things happening in the world, I needed something to genuinely be excited about.  

I needed to get out of the house.

The last time I ran outside just after all the shutdowns and race cancellations began was April 6th.  Until I  started training for the virtual marathon all my runs were inside on the treadmill because being outside and knowing the virus was out there too was terrifying since I'm considered to be borderline high risk.  So my husband started doing all of the grocery shopping and errands outside of the house and I stayed home.  I spent the entire summer indoors and didn't run outside again until August 23rd when I was officially in training.  I ran two half marathons on my treadmill.  Even though I picked really good movies to watch while running, it wasn't the same.  

I needed something to be proud of in a time of so much disappointment and sadness.

With so much going on, I wanted to have a story to be able to tell people later when we're able to get together again.  

It was the 45th year of the Marine Corps Marathon.

This race has a special place in my heart because it was my first 10k ever, and also my first marathon.  Since it was the 45th year, there was a special medal with sand from Iwo Jima inside of it.  That was enough to make me decide I had to get that medal.  

I found a training plan that would put me at running on the original MCM race day.

The training plan I used was by Lauren Fleshman and is 11 weeks long.  It was intense, but doable.  Just for good measure since I was actually 12 weeks out when I started, I gave myself a week to ramp up the mileage again and did a long run of 6 miles instead of 8.

Race day was super flexible--just run 26.2 anytime from September 27th to November 10th.  

How often is THAT an option?  If my original choice for race day doesn't have great weather, I'll bump it to another day.  The fitness will still be there!  

No waiting around for the race to start.

I can just go out my front door or drive to a course and run.  No waiting around.  No time to get cold on race morning!  

Cost!

When I ran the MCM in 2017, it cost $166 and it's gotten more expensive since then.  (It was $180 in 2019, and before going virtual it was $171.90.)  In 2020?  $49.34!  You will be hard pressed to find any in-person marathon for that much.  

So here's how it went...

I did my 20 mile run, and was starting to contemplate if I should just go ahead and do my marathon the following weekend.  I consulted a few running friends and a lot were encouraging to just go ahead and do it.  Everything was aligning to it being a fantastic weekend--chilly when I would start, but not get super hot that day.  I also had a Friday off from my new job, so throughout the week I slowly started getting ready and planning everything out.  

The Brooks race merch dropped the day before I had tentatively planned to run and I was so excited to get a hoodie, half zip and a finisher's shirt.  Later that day I got my shipping confirmation and it was all due to arrive the Monday after, so I had to run it now.  That same morning I  locked myself into picking up my packet with my shirt, medal and race mask (because 2020) the following weekend, so I had to do it ideally before getting my hands on the swag.

I decided to go to the NCR trail where I had run my 20 miler for my first marathon.  If I was going to have my redemption marathon, I wanted to do it in the same place where I had a terrible training run for my first marathon.  (My IT bands got angry super early on. I pushed through it and paid for it right up through race day.)  The trail is flat and would be beautiful with the leaves changing.  The trail is also somewhat known for a hill covered with garden gnomes.  I've never made it far enough to see it, and I at least wanted to make it far enough to finally see it.  

I loaded my hydration vest with gels, two water bottles and mixed some Nuun Endurance in one of my larger bladders.  I put a couple picky bars on top of my pack so I would eat one on my drive to the trail head, and have another for after I finished.  I also filled a small blender bottle with water and put a scoop of Nuun Recovery into a small container so I could mix it after finishing.  Before I left, the bottle went into a small cooler with an ice pack with a bigger bottle of water that I would leave plain.  

On race morning, I was feeling good and ready to go.  Even though I had decided to run my full marathon that day, I promised myself if I wasn't feeling good I could turn around at any time and try again later.  No pressure.  

And it felt magical.  I got to the trail a little after 7:15 and there were very few cars in the parking lot so I was feeling good that there wouldn't be a lot of people at least for awhile.  Once the sun was up, the views were stunning.

So as my watch ticked off the miles I was in shock.  I had trained to be able to run my marathon in 5:30, maybe 5:15 if I was doing well so I knew I had to keep between a 12:00 and 12:30 per mile pace.  That first mile was 12:08 so I  was like "perfect.  Gotta keep that up."  Then I  started hitting miles in the 11:00-11:30ish and started thinking "Oh no.  This feels good but I am SO going to bonk!"  And I  just kept going.  And going.  Boom.  Nailing my paces every time.  I made it to the fabled gnome hill and I  was NOT disappointed.

It was just as glorious at mile 11 as I had imagined it would be.  I even hit a 10:59 mile for mile 15!

The scenery was still gorgeous.

Then I hit mile 18 and I was ready to be done.  My IT bands started twinging,  so that didn't help at all.  My paces started getting more towards 12 minutes + because I was over it.  I  texted my husband and started counting down how much further I had to go.  He sent a few texts back encouraging me.  I knew I  had to finish it.  There was only one way back and it was right in front of me.  I took the time to enjoy my surroundings and remember I may not do this again, so I needed to embrace it.  My slowest mile was number 25 at 13:09.  

The second my watch said I hit 26.2 I  stopped my watch.  I wasn't in the same place where I started my watch, but I could at least see my car.  I walked over to a bench and started stretching and looked at my watch and I was in shock.  My watch said 5:08:54.  I not only hit my goal of breaking 5:30, I freaking obliterated it.  It felt amazing to text my husband that I finished, then immediately I texted some of my friends that I'm in a group text with and told them what I had done.  (I hadn't even told them I was going to attempt my marathon JUST in case it went sideways because 2020.)  

After some more texts and stretches, I walked back to my car feeling pretty good--definitely not like after my first marathon!  I opened the back door and pulled back the cargo area cover, sat down, pulled out my picky bar and mixed my Nuun recovery while eating.  It felt amazing to be done but I  knew I was on borrowed time.  I needed to get home, eat some more, keep rehydrating, shower and nap and I had an hour to do it, maybe two.  

So after drinking my Nuun, I headed home. I felt triumphant and was so happy to be home and tell my husband about my morning and show him my pictures.  And I was so ready for food, a shower and a long nap.  

After everything, would I do it again?  Shockingly, YES!  I'm a slow-ish runner who is not super likely to qualify for Boston and I'm not focused on that (at least at the moment.  Maybe someday though!)  The convenience of choosing when AND where to run the race was so totally worth it.  And with it being a Marine Corps race?  Even better.  

The next weekend when I drove out to Quantico to get my swag, it was SUPER easy (and if you're in the DMV you know that part of 95 is generally a nightmare.  I managed to luck out and it wasn't terrible!)  Once I got home, I ripped open the envelopes for the marathon and the 10k and was not disappointed.  (Okay I was a little salty that the 10k and the marathon distances got the same masks and both said 26.2 on them.  However in my case it was nice to get a backup in case anything happens to one of my masks!) The swag pack also include the tech fabric half zip (pretty similar to 2019's premium), a patch, a postcard with a note from Rick Nealis (the race director) and some Honey Stinger waffles!  

Would you ever run a virtual marathon?  Have you already?  Leave a comment below!

2018 MCM10k Race Recap

This was my fifth year running the MCM10k.  (2013 and 2014, 2015, 2016) Last year I ran the full marathon and wrote three blog entries about it.  Part 1 covered training and the expo.  Part 2 focused on the race.  Part 3 was some of the things I learned from running my first marathon.

This year's race would be slightly different because I would be running the 10k then spectating the marathon afterwards.  A friend who captained my Pennsylvania Ragnar team from last year decided this would be her first marathon and I remembered how helpful it was to have people along the way and how that last 10k was miserable.  I reached out to her and several friends because I knew I would be later in the race, just after the 14th street bridge with my Oiselle Volee teammates.  I asked them if they needed anything at all and I went ahead and got it for them along with extra twizzlers to be ready for race day.  I told them to be on the lookout for me in a yellow yeti (a union suit made by Oiselle that is always super comfortable) just over the 14th street bridge around mile 22.

Race Weekend

As always, race weekend begun with going to the expo on Friday mid-afternoon to miss the majority of the crowds.  I got my bib pretty quick because there was only one person in front of me for my bib range.  Then of course for shirts I lucked out because not only were there no lines AND the design for this year's shirt was great despite the olive green color.  (The marathon's shirt quickly became notorious for how terrible it looks. It's a picture from a previous year of the race with little 26.2's, Iwo Jimas and Marine Corps globes all over it too.  People were so vocal about it that the race organizers even did their own version of mean tweets!)  Both shirts were a unisex long sleeved shirt made of wicking material rather than the fleece lined shirts that were given out up until 2016.  (No idea if this will be the norm.) Generally it's a mock neck with the Marine Corps globe on the collar.  The 10k had it embroidered on, the marathon had it printed.)

After I got my shirt and bib, some Wegmans employees handed out some snacks--apple sauce in a pouch, their version of a nutrigrain bar and one of their fruit twists.

The vendors at the expo were more of the same--a couple headband vendors (Bondi Band and Sparkly Soul), some hydration products (like Nuun), Garmin, Buff USA, Pacers Running and Balega was there with a local Fleet Feet.  There were also a few charities scattered about, but generally nothing new or novel.  If anything it felt like the expo was actually smaller than in previous years.  I bought a new buff with the Marine Corps Marathon course and the Iwo Jima memorial on it because it didn't have the year printed on it and it was the same course as last year.  (AND it's very similar to the buff from two years ago that I saw sell out last year just as I walked to the register.)

For the first time in a few years, I really had to put some thought into what to wear on race day.  The last few times I've run this race it has been warm enough to wear a tank top and capris and be comfortable.  This time it would actually be somewhat chilly at the start!  I ended up settling on a long sleeve Flyte Shirt from Oiselle, Be Free Knickers from Athleta, Silver Socks and a headband from Balega.

Flat Holly for the MCM10k 😀Can’t wait to run the old course again and see what these legs can do 😀 (last time I ran the 10k it was all in VA because Metro was a pain and wouldn’t open early for the race.) My A goal is a secret (if i hit it, everyone is going to know) my B goal is to beat 1:05 (my 10k PR from over 2 years ago) C is to beat 1:11 (my PR for the course.) . . #marinecorpsmarathon #runwiththemarines #mcm10k #mcm10k2018 #balegaimpi #balegabestsocksever #balegaimpi2018 #hshive #pickybars #garmin #aftershokz #spibelt #goodr #rungoodr #oisellevolee #oisellevoléedmv #oiselleteamdmv #flystyle

A post shared by The Thrifty Runner (@thethriftyrunner) on Oct 27, 2018 at 8:40pm PDT

Race Day

Since I would also be a race crew for a few friends running the marathon, my plan for getting to the race was slightly different.  Instead of taking Metro the whole way, I drove my Dad and I to Pentagon City close to where the Volee would be spectating, left my backpack of supplies in my car and walked over to the Metro stop to get to the 10k start.  (I thought about simply checking a bag but that makes the security line for the 10k a little more of an ordeal since they want to go through every bag that comes into the starting area.  Not to mention going through the line to actually check the bag!)

When we got to the race, the security lines were already halfway across the adjacent street.  (Again, super glad I didn't bring a bag!)  And they asked runners to empty their pockets and any sort of running pack they had with them.  I took everything out and held it in my hand to show to one set of police officers then another police officer passed the wand over me to be sure I was safe to pass.  From there we immediately went into the portajohn line.  I was there with my dad so we lined up in our usual corral (1:10-1:19) hoping that I would be a little faster, but also knowing that my timing chip would not start until passing over the starting line I was okay starting with a slower group.

Obligatory selfie!

This year the first mile was very crowded once again.  It's fairly typical due to the walkers and first timers walking several people across and starting further up than they should.  You can warn people all you want, there are still going to be people who think the rule doesn't apply to them or they simply realize that they're walking several people across and blocking the path.  Then there was this one guy who kept getting right up behind me, in front of me, occasionally kicking the bottom of my foot and I just couldn't shake him until the second or third mile.  Somewhere along the 14th street bridge, I had lost sight of them and I was fine with it because once we all ran down the ramp the road (usually where the hand cyclists end up passing me) generally widened out so there was more space to spread out.  Once the Pentagon begins to come into view it widens out even more and it's even better because you know you're almost done!

Every year I have the goal of running up the hill to Iwo Jima and I get closer every year I've run the 10k.  (The marathon was a different story since by then I was just ready to be done.  I basically fast walked last year.)  The hill is short, but a 4.3% grade over even just a tenth of a mile makes it difficult.  This year I made it the majority of the way, slowing just as I reached the apex to high five one of the paramedics at a tent at the final turn towards the finish.  At that point I sprinted to the finish (was shuffled to the left side to allow the hand cyclists through), stopped my Garmin and looked down.  1:04:55!  I had just barely gotten my B goal to beat 1:05!

After receiving my medal, I took a few pictures of the Iwo Jima Memorial.  The clouds were starting to thin out and it was turning into such a beautiful day!

After getting my banana, food box and water I waited for my Dad a little ways from the Runner's exit.  By the time I finished my water and banana I got a text from him saying he was done and walking through the line of Marines handing out food and water.  We then walked over the bridge to my favorite part--the watermelon!!!  We scarfed down the fruit and then visited a food truck hired by Brooks Running to cook bacon for runners that was parked just by the finisher's gear store.  My Dad and I got some bacon, checked out the finisher's store (don't worry, we wiped off our hands before buying our 10k finisher's shirts) then got a second round of bacon before getting Sports Beans samples and trail mix from Wegmans as we walked to the Metro.  I got off at Pentagon City to get back to my car and my Dad kept going to the end of the line.

Spectating/Race Crewing

Once I got back to my car I grabbed my backpack with race supplies, a clean shirt, my yellow yeti (basically a big, comfy union suit made out of sweatshirt material by Oiselle), and changed my shoes.  As I walked over to the cowbell corner I stopped at a Starbucks for coffee and space to change.  I ordered my usual and after it was done I changed my shirt and threw on my yeti over everything.  I walked the rest of the way to the cowbell corner and found out I had just missed the founders of Oiselle (Sally Bergesen and Sarah Lesko) running past by about five minutes.  (Sorry to have missed them, but I needed coffee.  It was Lesko's first marathon and she even BQ'd for 2020!)  Then the waiting for my friends to pass began.  I had only received two texts despite asking for notifications on about 10 people, so I kept refreshing the app and even that was also not so reliable.  For a little while I held out a pan of Swedish Fish to the runners but as some of my friends started to get closer I kept my bag close by and just rang my cowbell.

Finally some familiar faces started to run past and I offered them Twizzlers.  After a little while longer, my friend came through with her pacers (two other friends who have run the race several times.)  I handed one of her pacers a ginger ale and snickers, and her own water bottle with coconut water and handed her a couple fun size payday candy bars.  They chugged their drinks and took some bites of their candy bars.  After a few moments it felt like they were lingering.  After last year knowing if I hung out too long it'd be hard to start up again I told them "Get outta here you have a race to finish!"  And while they were lingering they took a picture of me, always happy to crew for a friend.  (Seriously, I was kinda hard to miss but I was SO comfortable.)

Picture by JGivens75

And off they went!  After handing out twizzlers to a few more friends, the crowd of spectators began to clear.  It felt like the line of runners was never ending even though the familiar faces had all passed.  Around 1:30 or so, a police car went onto the course and redirected runners to turn left under the bridge instead of going straight.  From there on out, the runners would not be official finishers because they did not complete the whole 26.2 (really more like 21 miles.)  Once the runners began to thin out even more and race vehicles began picking up equipment we called it quits for the day.

Overall Thoughts

Again, this is another race I love from start to finish.  My description of the 10k is generally all the fun of a big race, but none of the pressure of the training for the distance.  It really is fitting for the race.  It's always super crowded, but so much fun.  The course is fairly challenging and the crowd support is amazing.  You end up running past so many landmarks even with the 10k it's worth running if you're local or from out of town.  This year I feel like the experience was elevated by parking downtown and going back out onto the course to spectate with friends and help friends who were running.  I'm not sure if or when I'll be back to run the marathon, but you can always count me in for the 10k as long as I'm able!

Have you run this race before?  Want to run this race?  Any questions about it?  Leave a comment below!

2017 Marine Corps Marathon Race Recap, Part 3: What I Learned

Recently I ran my first ever marathon ever (the Marine Corps Marathon.)  If you missed the first two parts, here's part 1.  Here's part 2.

I read a lot of articles, blogs and books telling me what to expect about running my first marathon and about the Marine Corps Marathon.  But there were some things that I found worked for me.  After reading so much, I have no idea where I got some of these ideas from, but they might also work for first timers and seasoned marathoners.  (Even if you're not running a full marathon, some of these tips should be helpful!)

Crosstrain. Seriously.

I should've seen my injury coming.  When I trained for my first half marathon, I got IT band Syndrome (or ITBS) in my right leg.  But when my gym closed in July right as I was starting to train, I figured I would be fine and I would do some cross training on my own.  Of course I didn't and just kept putting it off.  So I got ITBS in my left leg this time.

ITBS is basically caused when your IT band gets aggravated by repetitive motion--like running.  The IT Band is a ligament that runs from above your hip (with some connection to your glutes) all the way down your leg and connects below your knee.  It basically acts like a giant rubber band helping your leg snap back when extended.  So, if you make that ligament snap back too much it gets angry.  The anger can surface anywhere along the ligament but typically when I have flare up it is at the hip AND at the knee.  But while running, it literally feels like some outside force is taking that tendon and just twisting it or someone just sucker punched it.  At first it's just a slight nagging as if to say "Hey.  Um, you might want to take it easy."  Then if I try to ignore it, that's when it starts screaming as if to say "HEY!  I TOLD YOU.  TAKE. IT. EASY." then if I keep ignoring it on a run, walking even becomes impossible.

How can you avoid an injury like ITBS?  Cross-training.  How do you help it heal?  A bunch of different things, but I've found that rest, icing, foam rolling and massage helps.  I also tried a variety of straps that are supposed to help, but the only thing that helped was a compression sleeve from Zensah for my knee.

Take in Nutrition Every 30 Minutes.

Back in April on my trip to Boston for the marathon I got to meet a few elites including ultramarathoner Scott Jurek.  I typically try to come up with good questions for elites usually it ends up being "What's your bucket list race?" but this time it was "What's your advice for a first time marathoner?"  He said "Take on nutrition every 30 minutes whether you think you need it or not."  While training and on race day, that's exactly what I did and it worked out perfect.  Pre-run OR pre-race I always drink a 17oz bottle of water with cherry limeade Nuun en route, and eat a picky bar (typically smooth caffeinator) 30 minutes out.  During the run/race itself I used Tailwind.  I also put snacks in my hydration pack that I knew my stomach could tolerate, and on race day I used Run Gum as well.  The snacks I could choose on any given day were chia seed bars from Health Warrior, chia squeeze from Mama Chia, gingersnap waffles from Honey Stinger, and I used their chews as well.

Since race day was hot, the pre-race Nuun helped hydrate me pre-race, and the Tailwind helped maintain it and provide calories.  After about 30 minutes of running I was ready to start sipping on my Tailwind and I tried my best to keep up with that.  I also took comfort in that I had "safe" snacks on hand if I wanted something to chew.  (I didn't really eat too many snacks since I was feeling pretty good.)  After separating from the pace group at the halfway point, I started taking water at the stops and that helped too.

By the time I got to the end of the race, I wasn't too hungry or thirsty.  I was just hurting from moving my feet for so long.

Join a Running Group.

This basically saved my butt a few times, because it gave me people to run with and learn new routes.  I'm a member of Moms Run This Town/She Runs This Town and despite the name, you don't have to have kids to join.  It's a free running group for women and you can join in group runs as little or as much as you like.  If you join an active group, chances are very good that you can find somebody else who's a similar pace and wants to run a similar distance.  Having that kind of accountability is everything when you're training through the summer for a fall race.

Keep It Simple.

I know I look a little ridiculous on runs with all the stuff I have--my headphones, Garmin, Road ID, sunglasses, hat, hydration pack, phone, and of course snacks.  But the one place I keep it simple?  My clothing.  The top I wore while training and on race day was a Oiselle Flyte Tank.  There are only 3 "seams" on the entire tank--at the top on the straps and around the neckline.  Less seams mean fewer chances of chafing.  I do the same for my bottoms as well, which for most races is the Be Free Knicker from Athleta.  (Added bonus?  POCKETS!)  You would be surprised with how much running gear has an overabundance of seams.  (Seriously, what is up with all the panels on your shirts, and tights, Fila?)

Stick to Your Training.

I'm sure this one will be a little more controversial, but hear me out.  I had to stop my long runs after hitting 19 miles, more than a month out from the race.  Then I barely got in any runs because of my injury flaring up so quickly into a run.  Sure, it was a legitimate excuse, but I feel that if I was able to stay closer to the training schedule and actually do my 20 mile run then I might not have been in general pain at mile 17. But this is tough to gauge too, although while I was ramping up my weekly mileage I wasn't in AS much pain, but with the marathon it was my longest distance overall so it's hard to say.  (But in the month of October, I only got in three runs before my marathon.  So...yeah.)


Overall, I really enjoyed going through the experience of running a marathon.  Will I ever run another?  Who knows.  I've learned to never say never because I also said I'd never run a marathon.  Watching Boston last year was inspirational, and maybe it will inspire me again this coming year.  One thing is for sure though:  I need to heal completely before I even think of signing up for another!  Currently I'm on track for recovery.  I signed up for a new gym that opens next month, I'm still running but not as far, starting to cross train more and I'm wearing my knee sleeve while running and cross training.

2017 Marine Corps Marathon Race Recap, Part 2: The Race!

Be sure to read Part 1 of my experience running the Marine Corps Marathon.  It's about my training, expo and pre-race prep.  I'll wait.

Done?

Cool.

So, race morning I actually woke up just a few minutes before my alarm which rarely ever happens.  But oddly I felt pretty rested, so I took that as a good sign.  After checking my emails I got up and started getting ready to leave.  I made sure to apply my temporary tattoo to the inside of my left elbow so it was in a place where I thought it wouldn't rub against anything too much.  (I was wrong.  The lower half was gone before the race even started.)

I then grabbed my water bottle with cherry limeade Nuun, hydration pack and spibelt with race bib and headed out the door with my Dad to get to the metro.

After a shorter than usual metro ride with my Dad, he wished me luck as we parted ways.  Then started the long walk around the Pentagon to the starting area.  (I'm not totally sure how far it actually was, but it was at least half a mile probably closer to three quarters.  Either way, I finished my water bottle with Nuun as we walked to the starting area.)  I got there early enough that security was a non-issue.  I just walked up to a guard, showed them my hydration pack, they felt the reservoir portion and waved me on.  The lines for the bathrooms started to get a little crazy so I went ahead and got in line.  After getting through, I walked across the parking lot and got in line for the other set.  This line was a little longer, but I made friends with a couple ladies from Indiana who were also running their first marathon.  I told them everything I knew about the race and how it was awesome.  I also started texting with my friend who ran with me on that fateful training run that shook my confidence, and we tried to figure out where we were.  While we were in line for the portajohns we got to see the skydivers and see the fly-by from some of the Marines' Osprey (they had people hanging out the back door waving at the runners!)

I had seen part of it from the National Mall, but seeing it right up close was awe-inspiring.  Nerves started to set in as I neared the portajohns for one last stop.

At this point it was 7:55am and I headed over to the starting area with my friends from Indiana, hoping that I would come across my friend.  Fortunately, since she's so tall it was pretty easy to find her in the crowd once she told me her corral.  (We are a similar pace so I felt good about lining up with her.)  I also got a glimpse of the pacers for the 5:30 finish time.  We were close enough to see the pacer, but far enough back that we weren't in that pack of people.  My initial strategy was to keep the pacer in my sights while hanging back far enough that I wouldn't get caught up in the pack.

Finally the gun went off at 8:05am.  (Later I found out it was due to a suspicious package on the course.)  I crossed at 8:24am with one of my friends from Indiana and my training friend.

I decided to take it easy and not go out too fast, so when my watch beeped to start one of the intervals, I waved bye to my friends and told them I'd catch up later.  At this point, my IT band was feeling a little achy, but not terrible.  I tried not to focus on it and somehow I managed to catch up with the 5:30 pace group early on and kept up with them pretty well for the first half of the race.

Staying with the pace group for the first half helped a lot.  It helped keep me from going out too fast, and the pacer knew when to speed up and when we could slow down.  Thankfully it was a group that did run/walk breaks, although I'm pretty sure the leader wasn't very strict about sticking to them.  She also stopped briefly enough at the aid stations that it was basically impossible to take any liquid, which was stupid because of how hot it was supposed to be that day.  (Thankfully I had my hydration pack.  Yes, it had Tailwind in it, but I remembered a bit of advice from Scott Jurek from my Boston trip in April for Marathon Monday.  He said to take on nutrition every half an hour whether you need it or not.)  But after a point I started to get annoyed with the people around me because it was packed.  One woman kept throwing elbows to stay right next to the pacer, and various people kept knocking into me, and several people lost shoes because somebody behind them stepped on their heel.  Normally I don't like to post pictures from MarathonFoto with the watermark, but this is a great visual of how packed the pace group was.

By the time this picture was taken, I was getting pretty tired of being in such a tightly packed crowd.  Just before Hains Point aka The Blue Mile (and the halfway point), the pacer ran through the water and paused just briefly at the Gatorade and I walked that portion.  I tried to hang back but keep her in my sights, but she just kept getting further away.  And then I suddenly felt relieved.  I could hang back and look around!  And I was at the first point where I needed to look for a familiar face!  And...I didn't see her!  Oh well, no worries!  My next milestone was to beat the Gauntlet at about mile 17 by 12:33pm and I was well on my way to doing that.

A lot of the race was pretty much a blur.  I remember seeing some people from the pace group and passing by them.  I ran into one of my Oiselle teammates just before I met up with my Mom and husband right by the Washington Monument to change out hydration packs just as we planned.  At that point, I was past mile 17.  Less than 10 miles to go.  Might as well finish, right?

I'm all smiles, right?  I'm grinning through the pain because at this point both my IT bands were starting to ache.  (But the KT Tape was still intact!!) And I was justifying finishing.  And I had to catch up with my Oiselle teammate I hadn't seen in awhile, and she was hurting too.  Before I knew it we were passing the Capitol building...

And I ran into Oiselle spectator #1 by the Smithsonian.  And she had starbursts on a cookie sheet.  They were perfect and I said hi, thanks for the starburst and walked as I peeled the candy and popped it in my mouth.  (At that point, chewing felt weird.) I had also started to drag so once I finished the candy, so I opened up a pack of Run Gum and popped in a piece.  It was a little crumbly at first, but then it started to hold together after a few chews and the caffeine in it did the trick!  (Okay and maybe Batala and a hose spraying water helped a little bit, but mostly the gum.)  I caught a little bit of a second wind as we headed towards the dreaded 14th street bridge.

And

it

was

brutal.

All the runners knew going into this weekend it would be warm, and by this point it was about 12:00/12:30 so it was getting bad.  And on the bridge, there is no shade for even a little bit of relief.  I had run the bridge before when I ran the 10k in previous years, but at the marathon distance it was a whole new beast.  No spectators except a few brave souls here and there cheering you on.  At this point, the muscle pain had really started to take over.  I had to really convince myself that I could finish this.  The only way off the bridge was to keep going.  And if I kept going, I might as well finish.

I was so ready to see the familiar faces of my Oiselle teammates at Mile 22.  Finally I came over a hill and I finally saw one of my teammates that I recognized right away.  I screamed her name and ran by giving everybody high fives and kept running.  Right through another fire plug that had been opened up and was spraying water.  And right into a puddle.  (Worth it.)

At that point a couple toenails started softening up and I started worrying that a couple were gone.  I had to talk myself out of it because I had run with wet feet before, and this had happened before.  I was almost done.  I got this.

That final turnaround in Crystal City was glorious.  I was finally in the homestretch.  Once we got back to the Pentagon parking lot, I ran into my Oiselle teammate again, who was also hurting.  So we ended up walking a bunch of the final mile together.  We ended up joking about how off our Garmins were on the distance (maybe it was because of all the weaving around people?) and how when our watches buzzed saying we finished the marathon but we hadn't really finished that we were just doing an ultramarathon.

As we got closer to the finish we started to give each other a pep talk to really go for it in that final stretch.  (Well, as much as we could.)  We walked up that final hill to Iwo Jima (hating that hill more than I ever have in previous years of running the 10k) and once we hit the flat portion, we took off...again, as much as we could.  And we finished!!  My official time was 6:03:59.  Not my goal time, but still an automatic PR.

I hobbled with my Oiselle teammate through the medals, the water, and the post-race snacks and then we parted ways.  Throughout we both kept texting our loved ones letting them know we crossed, and we were almost to them.  Just after the bridge we parted ways and I got my watermelon.  (Barely.  Apparently they were giving a ton to everybody who walked by since the race was almost completely over and they still had a lot of fruit.)  Either way, I met up with my parents and husband again and they handed me another container of watermelon.  (I'm all about that post-race watermelon.  Seriously.  It's always the best. Thanks, Watermelon Board!)

After I finished the watermelon, drank a bottle of water and started finishing my hydration pack, I was ready for some real food.  Fortunately, there were tons of food trucks around.  I opted for a nutella crepe, and my Mom got one for each of us to enjoy back at their house.  On the metro ride back, I tried really hard to stretch.  But that only lasted a few minutes.  The muscle fatigue had definitely set in and my legs were hurting, especially if I lifted them more than just a couple inches off the ground.  I definitely didn't sit on the metro because I knew that was just asking for trouble.

Once we got off the train, I yelled at my husband for walking so fast and he said to me "I'm walking at a normal speed!" "No you're not!  Stop walking so fast!" And we both laughed as I collapsed into the car.  Shockingly I didn't have very much trouble getting back out again and hobbled my way inside the house and ate my nutella crepe.  Then came the time where I had to get up and get to the bathroom for a shower.  Naturally, it took longer than I'd like to admit and part of it was because I was nervous about what I would see when I took my socks off.  So I sat on the side of the tub and very carefully pulled off my socks.

And what did I see?

All ten toes, all ten toenails.  INTACT!  Win.  (Small victory.)

And I was SO happy to put on my finisher's shirt.

That shower felt amazing and soon after my husband and I headed home.  I was still hungry, so I opened up my snack box and was VERY impressed!

I'm almost positive everything except the fruit cup was gone before we arrived home an hour later.  At that point, I was so ready for a nap.

And it was glorious.

Next up:  What I learned!

2017 Marine Corps Marathon Race Recap, Part 1: Race Prep and the Expo!

The Marine Corps Marathon is notorious for being a fantastic race, and for the most part it did not disappoint!  You can either get into the race by running the 17.75k (which sells out quickly), entering the lottery, being active military, or signing up for their Four Star registration (which includes 2 race entries, hotel, reception, smartrip cards and access to a hospitality tent before the race.)  I got in by finishing the 17.75k, which you can read about here.

Training for the race began almost immediately.  I followed Hal Higdon's Novice 2 Marathon Training Plan and was doing really well until mid-September as my high mileage runs were about to finish.  I had been doing all my runs a little extra difficult in very hilly areas to make race day easier.  I was well on track to beating my goal pace of 12:35 to be able to finish the race in 5:30:00. Then my IT Band started acting up.  This was not the first time, so when I did my 19 mile run and it started aching I knew exactly what was wrong when it started to get angry right around mile 2.  But I kept going.  And that was the dumbest mistake I could've made, because it just kept getting worse.  And my splits kept getting longer and longer.  (My average pace ended up being 14:46.)  I know exactly why my IT Band got angry too and it was a combination of no cross training (my gym closed suddenly in July and I had a hard time finding a new one) and the increase in mileage.  I should've seen it coming, because that's exactly why it flared up the first time in the opposite leg.

Either way, it definitely messed with my confidence and that day of the 19 mile training run I was ridiculously happy to be running with somebody who was willing to put up with my IT Band's shenanigans.  We ended up naming my IT Band Frank, which actually helped.  We would start to run a little bit, the IT Band would scream, and then we would yell "DAMMIT FRANK!"  It wasn't much, but it helped with my morale.  For several days afterwards I had a hard time walking normally because even just bending my knee hurt.  And this was just before the DC Ragnar.  I managed to suck it up and do the Ragnar.  (More on that another time.)

About a week after that nightmare run, Brooks released a preview of some of the merchandise.  Naturally I bought the race jacket and the dash half zip since it's one of my favorite pieces from Brooks.  (Lightweight, but provides some warmth as well.)  It arrived a couple days later, and there it sat in the tyvek envelope.

A post shared by The Thrifty Runner (@thethriftyrunner) on Sep 29, 2017 at 8:04pm PDT

The rest of my training for the race went terribly because of outside factors too.  September was a crazy month at work, and October was also moderately crazy so with working 6 or 7 days a week it made squeezing in long runs hard if not impossible.

 Once I received my confirmation email with my race number, it got real.

Well, I guess this is happening. But first, the #baahalfmarathon this Sunday! Making myself rest from running even though I’m going stir crazy I’m still getting some strength training in to help the healing process. #itbs So eager to find out if the rest will pay off!!! . . . #injuredrunner #runnernotrunning #shitjustgotreal #marinecorpsmarathon #runwiththemarines #balegasocks #balegabestsocksever #hshive #sweatpink #sweatpinkambassador

A post shared by The Thrifty Runner (@thethriftyrunner) on Oct 4, 2017 at 12:48pm PDT

 In October I ran the BAA Half Marathon, and treated it like a training run since it was my next to worst finishing time.  I knew it was inevitable since my IT Band didn't have time to heal.  Before I even came home from that trip to Boston, I started calling a sports massage therapist that a friend recommended.  I got in there for an hour long massage and cupping later that week.  I was a little skeptical about cupping since I don't believe in anything drawing out toxins other than your liver, but why not try it if it doesn't hurt? Well, it did hurt.  So good.  Afterwards my IT Band felt amazing.

And I opened that tyvek envelope.

I was not disappointed.  I tried both on since well, the race was happening whether my IT Band liked it or not.  I also scheduled one more massage for the morning before the race with some cupping and KT Tape application, because I was desperate and ready to try anything.  (The first time I tried KT Tape, it didn't work out well and peeled off before it could be of any use.)

Then before I knew it, race weekend had arrived and I got to go to the expo to pick up my packet.  I finally got to take advantage of some of the race merch that I've spent years drooling over since I had only run the 10k in past years.  It was so surreal getting my bib, race patch and shirt.  (It wasn't that long ago that I swore I'd never run a marathon!)  And I totally lucked out with the shirt--I love the color and design!  This year was actually a departure from previous years because this one was a long sleeve moisture wicking shirt rather than a long sleeve fleece lined shirt.

I didn't actually get much in the way of race merch.  The lines for the official race merchandise were next to non-existent so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have a finisher's shirt ready to go right after the race and a pin with the race logo.  (Brooks said in emails and on social media that it would be available for purchase online on race morning, but nothing about it being available at the expo!)  From the other vendors I got a half buff and a race logo necklace.

Soon afterwards race day prep began.  With less than 24 hours to go, I started with getting that last minute intense IT Band massage and cupping and had it taped up.  (I'm almost positive my massage therapist used half a roll of KT Tape.)  Coming out of there I was feeling pretty confident that everything would go pretty well.

Once I got home, I filled up my two hydration packs with Tailwind--one raspberry flavored, the other plain.  My strategy was to start out with the raspberry flavored Tailwind, and switch it out to the pack containing the plain flavored Tailwind with my family around mile 17 along the National Mall.  I also put my race bib on a spibelt so I wouldn't have to worry about attaching and reattaching it to my hydration packs.  In the pockets of my hydration packs I put in a pack of Run Gum, Honey Stinger Chews or their waffle, and a Health Warrior Chia Seed bar or a Mamma Chia Chia Squeeze and each had a tube of lip balm with sunscreen from Brooks Running. (Seriously, the lip balm they give away is amazing.)  And of course a picky bar to eat before the race.  With the exception of the gum, all of it was tried in the past and I knew they were easy on my stomach.  (I had never tried the gum, and I lucked out in that it didn't bother my stomach.)  It sounds like a lot, but it really ended up being about 4 small things in each pack.

Next, I had to work on my temporary tattoo.  Since I knew I had to get to different parts of the course in certain times and had friends along the way cheering on runners, I mentally I split the race up into different parts.  So instead of "Uggggghhh 26.2 miles?!" it became "Okay first I have to reach Eileen.  Then Pam... And reach the Gauntlet by 12:33pm..."

Then of course I had to lay out everything to take with me on race morning to be absolutely sure I had everything.

Ready as I’ll ever be for the #marinecorpsmarathon 😱 got my @oiselle flyte tank, roga hat and lux arm sleeves, feather printed @spibelt, @balega_international silver socks, my @garmin forerunner 230, and my new mcm half @buff_usa all ready to go!! And naturally I had to wear some encouragement on my feet with my #wordsofgritandgrace #balegasocks 😁 . . #balegabestsocksever #impipride #oisellevolée #oisellevoléedmv #headupwingsout #runwiththemarines

A post shared by The Thrifty Runner (@thethriftyrunner) on Oct 21, 2017 at 7:28pm PDT

I was ready as I would ever be.  Everything was then thrown into a bag and I headed down to my parents with my husband.  Once we arrived at my parents, we had dinner and my Dad and I coordinated that morning so we could both get to our races on time (he was running the 10k.)  Later that night I threw a tab of my favorite cherry limeade nuun into a water bottle and then got ready for bed.  Just to be safe, I plugged in my electronics just to be sure everything would last.  I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep well, and I actually slept better than expected.

Next up:  The race itself.

Quantico Turkey Trot 10k Race Review

My first race was the Drumstick Dash in Roanoke, VA four years ago.  Since my husband encouraged all of us to run that race together, running a Thanksgiving race has become a family tradition.  This year however since I started working for a local racing events company for race day support, I ended up being on the operations side of the race rather than running it.  That also meant that a Thanksgiving day race would be out of the question, so I suggested to my Dad that he and I go down to Quantico Marine Base and try out their Turkey Trot since it was the weekend before the holiday.

The day before the race my Dad picked up our packets--the usual bib and race shirt along with a few snacks and samples that we've kind of come to expect with any of the Marine Corps' races.  (This time it was more Curate bars and some Tom's of Maine toothpaste!)

Definitely an interesting race shirt! 

(Unlike the MCM10k and marathon, this was just a long sleeved tech shirt.)

For once, I-95 traffic was a dream.  It took my Dad and I only 30 minutes to do a 40 minute drive (also because we took the HOT lanes so the speed limit was slightly increased.)  

Parking was a short walk from the starting area (maybe about 5-10 minutes) and we got there just as the lines for the portajohns were starting to grow.  By the time we got out, they had started the opening ceremony for the kids one mile race.  (It started half an hour before the 10k.)  We then walked over and looked at the various vendors.  They also had a petting zoo with a pony, llama, goat, sheep, duck, a couple chickens and turkeys!  (Seriously!!  How often do you see a live turkey at a turkey trot??)

After that we started watching the kids finish, and I randomly met one of my Oiselle Volee teammates!  (I haven't gotten out with that running group very much, but every time I've worn my Oiselle singlets I run into somebody and have an instant friend.  So cool!!)  

Excited for the start!

The race course was definitely challenging, but doable.  Very hilly similar to this year's MCM10k, but like I said:  Doable.  The first couple of miles were on the road but then miles 2-3 were on trail.  It was fairly narrow at that point so I avoided walking as much as I could.  But I literally felt like I was flying, especially once I started going down the hills.  It reminded me how much I really love trail running.  The rest of the race was through the streets of Quantico Marine Base, which was really interesting to get to see.  (I grew up near Fort Belvoir and since my Father-In-Law is now retired Air Force, I've seen a fair share of military bases as a civilian.)  ...Okay, and because I'm a total nerd and watch the show Quantico.  

This race was kind of a 180 in terms of crowds and course compared to the Richmond Half Marathon I had run the previous weekend.  There were 2 water stops, but not many crowds of people cheering along the course.  (There were some Marines who volunteered as course marshalls cheering on runners.)  Despite that, it was still a fun race.

 The starting line was the same as the Marine Corps Marathon--I love seeing it!  At this point I can only assume that this is the default arch that they use at all of their races.

The timing for the race was just perfect since the wind had not picked up yet and it was chilly but the sun helped keep us runners warm before the race.  (Later that day the high winds triggered a wind advisory for the area.)  It was great getting to see the vivid colors of the trees before the winds destroyed them.

At the end of the race, all the runners received bottled water, gatorade, cheese, a Wegmans fruit twist, a box of snacks (the same from the MCM10k with a curate bar, cup of fruit, breadsticks and cheese dip, and fig bar), and a cup of apple cider.  (No medal for this one.)  After getting some more free lip balm from the Brooks Running booth (I always grab a tube whenever I see them!) my Dad and I headed home.  

MCM10k 2016!!

I knew this year's Marine Corps Marathon and 10k would be interesting thanks to Metro's Safetrack program trying to repair the tracks on the Metro line.  When they made the announcement that Metro wouldn't open early the day of the races, I had already signed up for the 10k but I was feeling confident that the race director, Rick Nealis, would still make sure race day would be amazing.  (Pace the Nation, a podcast by Pacers Running, had a fantastic interview with him!  Definitely worth a listen.)

First, one of my favorite parts:  The Expo!!!

One of the first announcements they made in regards to this year's race was that the Gaylord National Harbor would be the race's headquarters.  I was totally fine with it since my parents live close to National Harbor and I run the race with my Dad and we always go to the expo together.  We ended up driving over and paying $10 to park in a lot, but race organizers offered shuttles from a few metro stations.

This always meets you when entering the expo, although I must admit this year it definitely fits the space better.  (Last year it looked tiny in the huge DC Convention Center!)

First thing you get is your bib from a couple of marines at a booth immediately inside the entrance to the expo.  Afterwards you go around the corner to get your race premium (usually a mockneck fleece sweatshirt) and you're funneled to the Brooks Race Store.  (Pro Tip:  Brooks has started posting a LOT of the race merchandise online before the expo.  Avoid the lines -which WILL get crazy- and buy everything ahead of time.)  

(Not too crazy about the color of this year's shirt.)

Next best part:  The vendors!!!

Zensah is definitely one of my favorites for compression wear.  I've been wear testing for them and all the products they've sent me are fantastic.  I can honestly say they have some great stuff coming out soon!

An an expo somebody is almost always selling socks in a buy 3 get one free deal.  Balega is always my go-to sock brand.  I got a new pair of Enduro socks and my Dad got a couple pairs for himself and my Mom.

Bondi Band is another vendor I always check out.  I love digging through the piles and finding new Bondi Bands.  These are the ones that I ended up choosing...

I thought my trainers at Boot Camp would totally get a kick out of the middle one.  (Especially since one of them is always trying to increase how many calories I burn.  I've been known to yell out she's trying to kill me as I'm running back and forth at the end of a workout to burn more calories before she ends the workout on the computer.)  

After Bondi Band, we walked around taste testing some products from Clif bar (their nut butter filled bars were quite tasty) and grabbed samples from all over the place.  We got samples from Larabar (yum!), Wegmans, a reusable shopping bag from RunDisney, a first aid bag and band aids, sports beans, Aveeno Tone Corrector, half and half drink mix and a buff from Medstar Sports!

Sorry, I ate some of it before I took a picture!  (I assure you though, the Larabars, fruit bar and fruit twist from Wegmans were all delicious.)

On the way out we had to hit the selfie wall!  The expo left me feeling super excited for the race.  The only downfall with the change of venue was that everything felt a little more cramped than usual so there were a lot of times where it was difficult to maneuver around people.

I've run past the Gaylord National Harbor a lot, but this was the first time I had ever actually been inside.  I must say, it was absolutely gorgeous!  Lots of marble and the atrium was amazing.

Now:  Race Morning!!!

My Dad and I took the Metro to the Pentagon station and followed the crowd to the starting area.  We stopped along the way to use one of the portajohns which were already trashed (banana peels and empty water bottles all over the inside.)  We then used the portajohns in the starting area too because we could!

So many portajohns and barely any line!!!  ...And no toilet paper in any of them.  I went into three different ones before giving up.  (Note to self:  Bring extra toilet paper!)

Across from the portajohns was the HUGE starting area.  Lots of trash cans all over the place, and tons of space to warm up.  I also had to get a picture of all the UPS trucks that are used for bag check.  There was barely any line to speak of!

Soon after we made our way across the North Pentagon Parking Lot, we heard the announcer say the first of the hand cyclists were about to make their way through the area.  After they passed through, we were able to get into our corral.  

And of course I had to take an obligatory pre-race selfie.

Soon after a few announcements, the National Anthem and a prayer, we were off!!

Love that archway!!

After listening to that episode of Pace the Nation, I had some idea of what to expect with the course.  Rick Nealis talked a little bit about the new 10k course and the words "What goes up must come down" rang true.  The first few miles were all uphill, at mile 5 there was another major incline and then that last mile was mostly flat but hilly again through Rosslyn.  Along Spout Run, the course was absolutely gorgeous and making it even better it was pretty much all downhill (except for that hill at mile 5.)

While we went through Rosslyn again, I looked down at my Garmin and got super excited.  I was on track to beating last year's time of 1:11:26!!

Close to the end at the last flat portion, this sign popped up and I started to get excited.  Every year I swear I'll run up the hill and end up walking.

This year, I actually ran it--The whole thing!!!  I suppose that hill leading to the halfway point totally made it look reasonable.  

After finishing and getting my medal I wandered around a little bit while I waited for my Dad to finish.  I got a glimpse of all the boxes of medals left for the marathoners!

It was SO weird seeing marathon finishers this year.  Usually the 10k starts at the same time as the marathon so we don't see those finishers.  This year though, the 10k started about an hour into marathon.  (Thanks to Metro, they opened the starting line for the marathon at 7:55 and allowed people to start until 8:55.  They also offered shuttles for marathoners as well.)  By the time I finished the 10k at around 10:30, the elite marathoners had started finishing!  

I was so happy when I saw my finisher's time.  Despite the HUGE hill for the majority of the race, I still had a PR for the race itself of 1:10:05!  I'm still curious to find out how I would've done compared to the original course of past years, but considering how my last finishing time on the flatter course was 1:11:26, it's probably a safe bet I would've done really well on it.

It was a gorgeous morning even though it was a little warmer than normal.  

Obligatory squinty selfie with my medal in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial!

As we walked through getting our snacks, I was impressed to see that the race organizers were mindful of the environmental impacts of the race. This year they offered to compost the banana peels and had recycling bins for water and gatorade bottles!

Then it was onto my favorite part:  The WATERMELON!!!  

Every year the Watermelon Board brings out the Watermelon queens to hand out containers of cut up watermelon.  They're on the other side of the bridge every year and it always tastes awesome after the race.

My Dad and I also stopped by the finisher's race store.  This year for Father's Day I got my Dad a MCM10k finisher's shirt and we were both curious about what they looked like this year.  

I was not disappointed and got one!

This year among all the vendors, there was a Facebook trailer!  Needless to say my Dad and I were intrigued so we got in line, filled out a survey while waiting and then headed into the trailer to try out a VR experience.

It was pretty cool.  My one complaint was I couldn't quite get the headset focused, but it was really neat to get to experience.  (And we got thumbs up magnets for giving them feedback.)

We then walked through the vendors and got more freebies.  This year we got a drawstring bag from Leidos, a water bottle from Booz Allen, more sports beans, and a cowbell from the National Park Service!  (The fig bar and curate bar are from the snack box.  This year we also got kettle corn popcorn chips, a little cup of cheese dip and breadsticks and a cup of peaches.)

While my Dad and I waited for the Metro I took the time to sync up my Garmin to my phone because we were both curious about the elevations.  Once it popped up, I started laughing because it proved that the course was just as bad as it felt while we were running it.

(Obligatory back of the shirt picture with the medal!)

As usual I really enjoyed the race and highly recommend it.  I found it to be really scenic and I enjoyed the new course despite it being more difficult than in previous years.  (Usually the course is pretty flat except for the hill at the very end.)  It sells out almost every year (this year actually it was earlier than usual!)  The race director puts so much work into the race to make the entire experience flawless and it shows.