And now for my 2016 Trenton Half Marathon recap

I ran the Trenton Half Marathon in Trenton, New Jersey this past weekend for the 3rd time and had just as much fun this time around. trenton halfMy friend Jane introduced me to this race back in 2013 when it was only in it’s 2nd year.

at the start of the 2013 race

at the start of the 2013 race

It started about 30 minutes late that year, and it started late in 2014 too so I wasn’t too shocked when we started about 15 minutes late this year. But that’s really the only negative I have for this race.

and at the start of the 2014 race

and at the start of the 2014 race

The expo is really small. Jane picked up my packet in 2013 and this year as well, but I went myself in 2014. While they do have race day packet pick up I did hear that there were some issues with getting your shirt on race day so if you can get to the expo or have a friend go for you that would be best.

The shirt this year is EXACTLY my favorite kind….long sleeve with a v-neck (for the ladies) and slimming vertical white stripes up the sides. And it doesn’t have sponsor logos all over. #winningimg_7126

The medal is huge and it’s also a bottle cap opener

a medal and 2 dog butts

a medal and 2 dog butts

Getting to the race is easy by car. It’s only an hour’ s drive from my home in Staten Island. Just make sure to try and arrive an hour before the start for the least hassle. I literally drove right into the auxillary parking lot at 7am without any detours. It’s about a 15 min walk to the start but there is also a lot closer that is an option. I just wanted to play it safe in case that lot was full.

The race offerings: There are 3 distances—a 5k, a 10k and a half marathon. The 10k and half start together first at 8:00am and the 5k starts 30 minutes after. There were about 700 runners doing the half, about 700 doing the 10k and about 500 doing the 5k so overall I consider this a small race. Really small compared to many of my New York Road Runner races that are 10 times that size.

I met Jane and Amy in the parking lot just after 7am and we all walked to the start which is at Arm and Hammer Stadium where the Trenton Thunder minor league ball team plays. (One of the highlights of this race is that you finish right at home plate.)

Me Jane and Amy

Me Jane and Amy

We met up with a few other of Jane’s friends. The temperature was in the high 30s but the sun was out and it was supposed to warm up quickly to a high in the 60s later in the day. I felt the brisk air but wasn’t cold really. I wore my usual long sleeve tech shirt/Nike Aeroloft vest combo and capris for sub 40 degree weather. I probably could have skipped the vest but luckily I never felt over dressed during the race. After running the Staten Island Half a few weeks ago in the pouring rain, I was SO FRIGGIN HAPPY that it was sunny.

Amy wanted to see if she could hit 2 hours on the nose after running in the 2:04-2:07 range for a bit. Jane said she’d stay with her and try and pace her to her goal. Well not only did Amy hit her goal…..she smashed it and came in at 1:57. Woot woot!

foot art

foot art

I didn’t have a time goal but wanted to give a good effort and finish somewhere between 2:15 and 2:20. I’m nowhere near my 2:05 PR shape these days but I’ve been consistently running halves below 2 1/2 hours so I figured it was a good range.

The Start

The start

When you start, the first turn out of the corrals is crowded and frustrating but within 50 feet you are out on the street and it widens up. And I can tell you that you won’t experience congestion at all for the rest of the race. For me, as a middle-of-the-packer I actually felt a bit lonely during the last half of the race. 🙂

The first 5K is fairly flat or downhill (except for running up an exit ramp at the very begining) and all of my splits were sub 10 which was a confidence booster for me. I didn’t bring any fuel for the race and just drank Gatorade and water every mile or two throughout the race starting at mile 4 until mile 11.

Somewhere in the first few miles before entering Mill Hill

Somewhere in the first few miles before entering Mill Hill

The course: I love that there are distinctive chunks…the first 4 miles are in the city and through the Mill Hill district.

around mile 4 in the Mill Hill district

around mile 4 in the Mill Hill district

Then you cross the Trenton Makes bridge and end up in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. And just after the 10k mark you cross back over into NJ.

halfway done and entering back into New Jersey

halfway done and entering back into New Jersey

After that is a 2 mile stretch that is fairly flat along the highway but then comes the hill into Cadwalader Park and another hill once you enter the park.

Chuggin' along

Chuggin’ along

But by mile 9 you’re now traveling downhill and back to the highway for the final 5k along the flat stretch. Knowing the course helps because I knew I could take it slower on the hills if I needed knowing I could run a little faster on those last 3 flat miles. This strategy was exactly what I did.

Almost done!

Almost done!

I did feel my hamstrings tighten progressively during the last few miles, but I kept on chugging. And I finished in 2:16:49…only a few seconds slower than my 2014 race and 9 minutes slower than my 2013 race.

right in the middle of the pack

right in the middle of the pack

trentonhalf-finishJane’s friend Bill actually placed first in his age group in the 5k which was cool.img_9144

And then the best part of the day…..going to get drinks and grub and celebrate.

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I love that with each race I get more insight into just how running has shaped me….

My blog name was created because running helps me deal with anxiety because my mind is always running and it needs my body to follow 🙂img_6985

I run more than just to finish a race in a certain amount of time or get a beautiful medal.

Running has helped me:

  • Create an identity for myself when I felt I didn’t fit in.
  • Form friendships that I treasure with all my heart.
  • Be active…not just as a form of exercise but as a way for me to live each day with the desire to want to participate in life and not just sit on the sidelines and watch life go by.
  • Develop the power to inspire.
  • Honor the lives of those we’ve lost….most recently my friend Roseann lost her sweet pup Cookie. I dedicated my miles on Saturday to her. Last year I ran the NYC Marathon with the initials AZ on my back. Abbie Zukowski was the 11 year old daughter of my former high school friend Chris. She was tragically killed crossing the street. I’ve dedicated miles to Meggan Janota, one of the runners I met in 2013 when I was part of the Dicks Sporting Goods “Every Runner Has A Reason” campaign. Just before running the Tunnel to Towers run I decided to honor my friend’s dad who was tragically shot at a town hall meeting. She lost her battle with breast cancer a year later. And I always think of my late husband Dickey who died from Melanoma 17 years ago.

    This was a lifetime ago. November 7th 1998. He is with me for every mile I run. Ironically he hated to run. :)

    This was a lifetime ago. November 7th 1998. He is with me for every mile I run. Ironically he hated to run. 🙂

So now you got more than just a recap. 😉 I know i’ve said this before but this blog is really for me. It is so theraputic. From posts filled with pictures of dogs with costumes—to posts where I verbalize so well the true meaning of what running means to me—it’s all so helpful. I hope it’s helpful to you too of course!

What’s your favorite type of shirt to run in?

Hi there and Happy Halloween!

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I ran the Trenton Half Marathon on Saturday! The abbreviated recap can be summed up into 4 sentences. No rain—yay! Seeing running friends—yay! img_9144Running a strong race—yay! Refueling with hard cider and salty/greasy food—yay!img_7015

I’ll have the full recap up later this week.

After getting home from the race I hung out with Mr. SOTSS and his kids for the rest of the day/night. We went out to dinner at Joe’s Crab Shack (I’d never been before).img_7025

Then we went to a Jack-O-Lantern “experience” nearby where we got to watch a very talented pumpkin carver and then see some cool Jack-O-Lanterns.

Say hello to my little pumpkin friends. They are all named Jack. LOL

Say hello to my little pumpkin friends. They are all named Jack. LOL

Cool right?

Cool right?

I was turning into a pumpkin myself by 9pm since I had been up at 4:45 to get to the race, so I headed back home to get a good night’s sleep.

Yesterday afternoon I met back up with them and we took the dogs for a walk and then went Trick-or-Treating where Mr. SOTSS’ mom lives. We had double the usual amount of pooches. The girls’ dogs Panda and Quincy came with.

Quincy borrowed Duncan's Pirate costume and I must say he looked awesome.

Quincy borrowed Duncan’s Pirate costume and I must say he looked awesome.

Panda borrowing Duncan's Sherif costume....but she looks like she's in jail so maybe the wrong costume?

Panda borrowing Duncan’s Sherif costume….but she looks like she’s in jail so maybe the wrong costume?

Chester looking "smashing" in his Pumpkin getup (anyone remember the band Smashing Pumpkins or am I showing my age?)

Chester looking “smashing” in his Pumpkin getup (anyone remember the band Smashing Pumpkins or am I showing my age?)

And Duncan got off the hook since it was so hot out (yes, unseasonably warm 80 degrees yesterday!) So I only put on the tie around his neck.

Keepin' it simple

Keepin’ it simple

I really do love October and I must say I’ve enjoyed it down to the bitter end. I’ve got lots of exciting stuff happening in November beginning with next weekend’s NYC Marathon. I’ll be spectating again like I did in 2014. I can’t wait! I’ve got friends coming from all over the country as well as a slew of local friends running and I just hope I get to see everyone! Crossing my fingers they’ll have perfect weather.

Hope your week is off to a good start.

BOO!

How was your weekend? Do anything fun?

Ah the mantras of running and life. I could write a whole post about it but today I’m going to focus on one—Just focus on the mile you are in.

Today, I got notification from my insurance plan that my new monthly premium for 2017 will be going up $200. Yes folks, my $650 a month health insurance premium will be going to $850. I read this at 7am while still in bed and sat there for an hour unable to get out of bed because I felt so defeated and overwhelmed at the thought of how I would find an extra $200 a month when I’m already feeling tight with my finances. I’ve been hustling and working my tail off to pay my bills. I’ve taken freelance jobs paying 1/4 of what my hourly rate is and I haven’t raised my hourly rate since 2007. But it’s catching up with me. And while I love freelancing I find it unfair that the costs of health insurance are so monumental.

Blah blah…..the point of all this is that I had this moment that finally got me out of bed….knowing coffee was waiting for me the mantra I’ve used while running marathons—Just focus on the mile you are in.

Today is #FlashbackFriday and I posted this photo of me running the NYC Marathon last year. It was a rough one.

mile 17ish and seeing my boyfriend, his 2 daughters,  his mom and her husband.

mile 17ish and seeing my boyfriend, his 2 daughters, his mom and her husband.

My second slowest marathon as a matter of fact. And what kept me going mile after mile was pulling back my “freakout” and calming myself with my mantra. I didn’t have to think about the 23.2 miles ahead of me as I felt drenched with sweat and sluggish at mile 3. I just needed to think about mile 3. Eventually I’d get to the finish line.

I had a busy day workwise today and it helped reassure me that I will be just fine. And I’ll find ways to make more money. I’ll be smarter about my food shopping. Heck, maybe I’ll become an extreme couponer?!

The boyfriend worked from home yesterday and we took a stroll through the woods with the dogs at lunch. A total mid-week treat!

Shh...I'm hunting squirrels

Shh…I’m hunting squirrels

The boys

The boys

I love this pic of Chester

I love this pic of Chester

And today, after my deadlines for the day had been met, I went for a run. img_6809I probably should have tried for a long run because…..I just signed up to run the Trenton Half Marathon next weekend! I couldn’t resist the opportunity to see my friend Jane and it’s become tradition to go to a nearby pub for refueling after. I ran it in 2013 just 6 days after the NYC Marathon and again in 2014. I missed it last year but I’m happy to get back there…..I can already taste the celebratory cider and I’m looking forward to hearing all about Jane’s recent European vacation. photo-4-21

Well now I’m off to get another freelance project complete…I’m trying to stay ahead of the curve so the weekend can be free of the laptop.

What do you think your biggest stressor/anxiety provoker is in life? Money? Health? 

Do you ever register for races on a whim or do you book them all in advance?

What mantras do you rely on for running or for life?

I just can’t get enough of the amazing colors surrounding me these days. I love this time of year.

I told y’all about my scenic drive on Friday. Well yesterday and today I spent time hiking and walking and took in some more gorgeous scenery.

oh the colors!

oh the colors!

beaches are fun in the fall!

beaches are fun in the fall!

Oh, and I ran the Trenton Half Marathon yesterday.

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Full recap will be up in a bit but all you really need to know is I wanted to die at mile 4. I basically thought about the meal and adult beverage that I would be having at our post-race celebratory lunch. It worked. Visions of french fries and hard apple cider got me through =)

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November is just an extension of Oktoberfest….Bring on the Strongbow Cider!

trentongroup

Big group! And lots of PRs. Some raced the 5k, some raced the 10k and others raced the half. Pick-yo-distance! Photo courtesy of Jane

Since I actually didn’t feel too banged up today I took my bike out for a short recovery ride. Instead of cruising the neighborhood I put the bike in the car and went to the beach to ride along the flat paved access road. First time that Schwinn(y) got to ride in Forest(er). All my wheels have nicknames!

wheels

photo 5

 

I hope you had a great weekend too.

What’s your favorite thing about Fall or November?