Run #6.1 Beat the Bridge Fail

Beat the Bridge is a race that I have had my eye on for a while now.  It is an 8K.  About 2 miles in, you cross a drawbridge.  The bridge is raised approximately 20 minutes after the last person crosses the start line.  The goal is to beat the raising of the bridge.  If you don’t, no worries – it takes a few minutes but then you can continue on your way.

Going into it, I couldn’t decide what I thought about the bridge.  I had an internal debate/struggle going on.  I am not fast, so should I have any expectations to beat the bridge?  But if I start in one of the earlier waves, maybe there is a shot?  There were a lot of what ifs flying through my mind, but in the end all I could do was run my race and do my best.

Besides which, before I could even start the race I needed to knock out a few miles.  I arrived early, parked, and headed out for three quick miles before the race.  I was feeling good, if a bit congested with the amount of cottonseed floating around.

Back from my three miles, I was able to quickly change my shirt, use the real bathroom, and get a picture made!

Before the start

I watched the first few waves, before jumping into the mix.  Down Montlake we went, across the Montlake Bridge.  I watched my steps across the bridge, but I made it without slipping or tripping!

Through a residential area we went.  I heard a few “Go Huskies”, “Go UDub”, “Love the outfit” from the spectators as I passed by.  Knowing the race started outside Hec Ed and finished on the practice field, I chose my outfit carefully to represent my beloved Huskies.  #bepurplegogold

Go Dawgs!

And there it was!  The Mile 2 sign!!  Just around the corner was the bridge!  I turned the corner and saw the bridge was still down.  Hope built up in me and I realized that I really wanted to Beat the Bridge!  As I got closer, the volunteers stepped out in the road to stop people.  I missed beating the bridge by mere seconds!  I could have been like the cheaters who ignored the volunteers and ran around them, but what was that going to accomplish?  I waited and took a few pictures while the bridge was raised and lowered.

There goes the bridge

It was only a few minute delay (Darn!  I should have timed it!) before we were off again!

Waiting for the bridge to lower

The rest of the race was fairly anticlimactic.  Soon we were heading down Montlake again before winding our way towards the practice field.  It would have been way cooler to finish in Husky Stadium, but finishing on the practice field was still pretty cool.

My time you ask?  Why it was 1:02.53 – which is only a minute off my PR.  I take that to mean if I had made the stupid bridge, I would have PR’d this distance.  Nice!!

Done!

Leaning Tower of Banana Peels

The Liebster Award Take 3

How fun!!  I’ve been nominated again for the Liebster award by Elizabeth over at Running With A Stroller.  Yay!  Thanks Elizabeth!!

The Rules:

1. Nominee posts award on their blog 
2. Nominee links back to the nominator’s blog 
3. Nominee lists 11 random facts about her/himself
4. Nominee answers 11 questions nominator poses
5. Nominee then nominates new bloggers with 300 followers or less and leaves them a comment on their blog letting them know they did so.
6. Nominee poses 11 questions for their nominees to answer

11 Random Facts About Me:

1. I lived in Houston for almost 5 years but never visited NASA.
2. Similarly I’ve been back in Seattle for many years now but still haven’t visited the Olympic Sculpture Park.
3. My favorite Disney character ever is Winnie the Pooh.  And one year my mom and I visited the real 100 Acre Woods.
4. The first “real” book I read was Charlotte’s Web.
5. I really want to try CrossFit but I am intimidated.
6. I am really craving pad thai (in fact maybe that’s what I will have for lunch tomorrow).
7. I tend to be a people pleaser.
8. I try to go to Europe at least once a year – this year I’m going to Barcelona.
9. I used to be a morning person.  Now I’m more of a mid-morning person.
10. My favorite number is 7.
11. I still love watching the Disney channel – although I really miss the old shows.

Elizabeth’s Questions For Me:

1. If you could travel anywhere in the world, with out worrying about cost, where would you go?  I would buy myself an around the world plane ticket (oh yes, they exist and I have looked into them) and work on my goal of stepping foot on every continent.  Australia might be first on my list.
2. If you had the opportunity to do any job in the world what would it be and why?  Travel photographer – traveling the world and taking pictures?  I would be in heaven!
3. Team Woody or Buzz Lightyear?  Buzz for sure!!
4. If you could pick any decade to live in what would it be? Why?  Probably the 40′s – Big Band Music, plus I’ve always been fascinated (maybe not quite the right word) with WWII.  Up there would be the Regency time period (1810 – ish) – balls, dresses, Mr. Darcy – what more could you want?  You know, besides running water and a cell phone.
5. What advice would you pass on to other new bloggers?  Be yourself
6. What is the most valuable thing you have ever lost?  So I didn’t quite lose it, but once upon a time in Greece, I broke my camera.  It was quite sad.
7. What’s your favorite TV show?  I have several but probably Amazing Race and Castle
8. Coffee or tea?  I have to choose?  Depends on the day.
9. If your life was made into a movie, who would play you? Why?  Kate Winslet – because I love her!
10. What was your favorite childhood toy?  Hmm, probably Jonathan Bear.
11. If you could have a conversation with anyone alive or living (who you don’t see daily) who would it be?  Probably my grandma.  We would talk all the time and one time we even came up with a joke to play on my grandpa.  I miss her (and my grandpa).

My Questions

1. Teleporter or stop time machine?
2. What has been the best advice someone has given you?
3. What is your favorite thing to take pictures of?
4. What’s your current guilty pleasure?
5. Vanilla or chocolate?  (This is really a trick question because swirl is where its at!)
6. What recently released or upcoming movie are you looking forward to seeing in the theater?
7. Running skirts – yay or nay?
8. Biggest pet peeve?
9. Worst airport to be stuck in?
10. If you could live in a TV show, which one would you choose?
11. What is your earliest memory?

I’m going to stick with my precedent and I am going to nominate those people who are reading this and thinking “I really wish I was nominated”.  If you are reading this, well then consider yourself nominated by me!

Wish I Was Wednesday #30

Boy oh boy am I leaving this til the last minute!  But I’m squeaking in under the wire, at least on the west coast!  So, life has been crazy the past couple days in a soap opera type of way.  Hopefully it will settle down in the next day or so.  I’m trying to “cast my cares” and not let the craziness get to me.  And so today’s Wish I Was brings us to WDW because I need to be in my happy place.

Cinderella’s Castle

2013 Kirkland Half Marathon

My running co-worker (actually now former co-worker as she has recently moved on) first mentioned this race several months ago.  She hasn’t done a half for a while but thought this would be a fun one as it combines one of our favorite races (12Ks of Christmas) with another local race (Captain Jack 8K).  Unfortunately her training did not go as planned and she decided not to do it.  As the thought of doing the race was already swirling in my head, I decided not to dismiss it right away.  And then the tragedy unfolded at the Boston Marathon and I wanted to do something to show I wasn’t afraid.   So I signed up.

The days leading up to the race were quite warm, at least by Seattle standards.  I was never so happy to wake up and hear the delightful sounds of rain pitter pattering outside my window.

I arrived, parked and headed towards the real park bathrooms, which were sadly closed.  Boo.  I walked across the street and got in line for the port-o-potties.  After I finished, I got immediately back into line.  I know myself.  I finished my second bathroom stop with just minutes to spare before the race started.

Ready to go!

I didn’t have high expectations for this race.  While it was only two weeks since the Nike Women’s Half DC, I hadn’t done much in those two weeks.  Plus I’ve been under a lot of stress and not sleeping well.  Which all adds up to not really being prepared for this race.

And go!  It was fairly crowded for the first half mile but then smoothed out.  The first few miles went fine – I was even running the uphills if they fell into my run interval.  I took advantage of the downhills and ran those regardless of the interval.

Caution!

It was overcast, but slightly humid.  Have you noticed I like complain about the weather?  The breeze was fabulous!  And every once in a while we’d get a few sprinkles.

By mile 6 we had connected with the 12Ks course and I was in familiar territory.  It was also when my now familiar hip/IT band pain made its presence known.  It was gradual at first.

We came down the hill and were on Lake Street, running along Lake Washington.  I knew it was going to be difficult to pass what was the finish line of the 12Ks and still have around a 5K left.

View of Lake Washington

Mile 11 came and with it came almost pure misery.  The road was slanted and I couldn’t find a flat piece of the road.  The pain was increasing.  And then came the hill.  Remember when I said this course was hilly?  Ugh.

I was just about in tears when I got to the top of hill.   But at the top of the hill were the most incredible volunteers.  I got several high-fives as well as encouragement.  The first volunteer told me she had faith that I could finish.  I held on to that.  Literally it was just what I needed to hear.  The tears threatened again but because I knew I had this.  Their encouragement and uplifting words meant so much to me.  It wouldn’t be my fastest time, but I would finish.

The rest of the course was downhill, for the most part.  We went through a neighborhood street with beautiful, blooming, rhododendrons before heading into a park.  While my spirits had been lifted, I was still battling the pain.  I was definitely walking a lot.  I would  start running but my running spurts were just that.  Spurts.  That didn’t last long.

I rounded the corner, took a deep breath, and reached deep to run the last tenth of a mile.

My parents were at the finish line, cheering me in.  Done!!  Hallelujah!!  I was so happy to have crossed the finish line!!  And with that half number 5 of the year is done.  Holy cow!! Five half marathons already for 2013?!

Done!!

With all the walking and hills and pity parties along the course I was happy to see my time was under 3 hours.  Definitely not my best time at 2:53.57, but not my worst.  I’ll take it!!

I do it for the bling!

Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom!! Race supporter extraordinaire!

Wish I Was Wednesday #29

While I generally always wish I was at a Disney park, this Wish I Was is actually a Happy Birthday shout out to my BFF (and BDF i.e. best Disney friend) Michelle.  This is one of my fave pictures of us at our happy place!!  I was in Houston this past weekend as part of a birthday surprise.  I also experienced my first crawfish boil!  It took awhile for me to get the hang of peeling the crawfish  but I got there eventually.  It was a fantastic weekend full of friends, fun, and food!

On the teacups

Nike Women’s Half DC 2013: Part III

After making it through Part I and Part II, your reward is Part III where I actually run the race!!

I was up fairly early Sunday morning and finally stumbled out of the hotel and towards the metro, where I spied a number of other women in race attire which was very calming as I knew I was in the right place!

I bought my metro ticket, however when I tried to input it into the slot, it wouldn’t take.  I tried all machines and finally went to the booth where she looked at my ticket and then let me in.  Of course the same thing happened when I tried to exit, except no one was at the booth.  A couple of minutes passed and I was about to break down in tears when an attendant walked by and I all but jumped on him trying to explain.  He waved me through.  Crisis averted.

I stopped at the long line of port-o-potties, handed my bag in at bag check, and made my way to the corrals.  My corral was full but somehow I managed to squeeze in.

I took a look around and realized I was really here.  At the start line. The familiar nerves started fluttering.  As I gazed towards the start line, I saw the Capital Building in the distance.

Start Line, looking towards the Capital

And we were off!  I had expected a minute or two between each corral, but no, they let us all go at the same time.  I think staggering the start may have helped with the crowding that happened for the first few miles.

We ran towards the Capital before turning and going through a tunnel where predictably my Garmin got all jumbled up.  I do have to say, I loved running through the tunnel as there were two drum bands set up (one at the beginning of the tunnel and one at the end).  The energy was amazing!

I ended up running the entire first mile (which is something I haven’t done since that one time I fell off a cliff and hurt my knee – and no, it still hasn’t gotten old to say I fell off a cliff!).

Past the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Monument, over the bridge and back we went.

Lincoln Memorial

The temperature was definitely starting to creep up, but there was a lovely breeze!! We continued along the water and around a golf course.  I had been doing great up until around Mile 8 or so, when my familiar hip/ITB pain made its presence known.  The adrenaline and other people on the course kept the pain at bay.

I do have to say the spectators along the course were amazing!!  I don’t know how many high fives were offered to me.  I’ve said it before but I really appreciated the energy at this race.

Back through the tunnel and towards the Capital before circling back towards the finish line.

I’m not sure where I was when I realized I was close to a PR.  Then I stopped for a picture in front of the Capital, which was so worth it!

So close to the end!

The finish line was calling me in.  I took my last walk interval and put on the afterburners (well as much as I could).

Done!  I crossed the finish line onto the red carpet.  I ended up being a minute off of my PR.  So close…but still such a fabulous race!

Red Carpet

I got my Tiffany’s box!!  Love!!  Which was given to me by an ROTC in a tuxedo!

Love my necklace!!

I navigated my way through the finish line area towards the finisher’s boutique.  The line was ridiculously long.  Since the theme for the weekend had become not waiting in lines, I thought twice but then got in line, which did not move for the longest time.  I finally was able to catch a staff member and ask about sizes and was told once again that the largest they had was a large.  I thought for a minute or two and as I was starting to feel ill, I got out of line.

They did have a stretching area which was fantastic – they had a bunch of yoga mats laid out and an instructor leading us through a variety of stretches.

My biggest complaint about this race was that there were no photographers.  Seriously, no photographers.  I am one of those who generally will buy at least one of the professional pictures.

With the race done, I went back to the hotel to start the day over again!

My plan was museums, but as soon as I stepped out of the metro I saw the Capital Building and decided I needed a real photo, not just a race photo.

It started sprinkling and I quickly took my pictures.

At the Capital

All of this took longer than I had thought and I realized I probably only had time for one museum.  American History Museum or Natural History Museum?  I came to the Natural History Museum first and the rain was coming down heavier so Natural History Museum it was.

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum had the Hope Diamond and mummies!!  Score!  I wandered around.  I really liked the “Written in Bone” exhibit – a CSI take on early colonial settlements.

Hope Diamond

Guess what I had for dinner?  Pizza!  Once again in my hotel room as I started packing.

Mmm, pizza

And after dinner?  Oh yes!  I finally had my Baked+Wired cupcake.  Oh my.  It was delicious!!

Flapjack Cupcake

And on that note, my quick trip to DC was at an end.  Until next time!

Wish I Was Wednesday #28

We interrupt the tale of the Nike Women’s Half DC for today’s Wish I Was.  It takes us to Salzburg and the fountain from the famous Sound of Music “Do Re Mi” scene.  Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.  I would apologize for getting the song stuck in your head, except it is also stuck in mine and it is a good song!

Saltzburg, Austria