Wineglass Marathon Race Recap

Here to say that I think Wineglass is my favorite race and hopefully will be able to do it every year. It’s not too far away for us to drive to and the convenience of where we stay is perfect for our season of having littles. I knew after having my PR race last year that I really wanted to try to come back again. I think I signed up for the race in February and booked our hotel then as well. This race must be lucky for me because I earned another PR this year!

Charlotte was all about the veggies before we left on Friday, while I stuck with my traditional 500g carbs-per-day load (using Featherstone Nutrition’s carb guide). It’s around a five & a half hour drive to Corning, so we got to the hotel around 4pm. The girls were great on the drive- we stopped once to have lunch/diaper changes and thankfully had special toys for them to play with when they started to get cranky. Alex’s parents caravan’d (spelling?) down with us too (they stayed 20min away in Watkins Glen). We ate dinner at the hotel (stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Corning)- the veggie cavatappi is my go-to without the Alfredo. Then we went to the Expo before it ended at 7pm. I didn’t get any extra swag this year because I’m saving for NYC next month, but they had some awesome sweatshirts and running jackets. I also honestly love the quarter zip we get with signing up for the race. We all were in bed by 7pm and thankfully slept well the first night.

On Saturday I did a quick 20-minute shakeout run and checked out the finish line. I met Alex & the girls at Wegmans to pickup some more Gatorade, bananas , and milk for the girls. I love how close the grocery store is too- almost directly across the street from our hotel.

We had brought some cold cuts with us, so I made a bagel sandwich for lunch with a side of pretzels after visiting the Glass Museum that morning. We stayed there for an hour or so, while Alex’s parents continued to explore while we went back to the hotel so the girls (& we) could nap.

We played around the hotel lobby/ sat outside under the shaded area until dinner. I did the pasta buffet (pasta with butter), which always works well for me. I knew it would be hot the next day, so I had two gatorades on Saturday for my carb-load, as well as scratch the night before. Charlotte woke-up that night at 11:30, so I brought her into our bed and was finally able to fall back asleep around 1:30. She woke-up around 5:30, so I didn’t get the best sleep before the race (which is something I expect). Both girls were awake by 6 - a little early for them, but I did get to say goodbye before I left to walk to catch the buses around 6:20.

There were plenty of people walking to the start buses, so it wasn’t so scary (last year I remember it being quieter ) and took me maybe 15 minutes. I got to the start with an hour to spare. I did some strides, stretching, two porta stops, and took one Maurten 15-minutes before the start.

I knew it was going to be warmer that day, so I tried to do a conservative start with my first 10k splits of: 8:19, 8:03, 8:00, 7:59, 8:02. But this was definitely too fast for the day. Ha. I still felt good for those miles! This course is pretty flat & fast with a very small amount of uphills, but it’s also not really shaded. I knew it would eventually start to feel warm, so I did also kinda expect to positive-split on the day. The next 10k splits were: 8:08, 7:59, 8:01, 7:58, 8:03, 7:58, 8:06. I still felt pretty good, but the sun was starting to feel warm and there was no shade at all really.

The only really significant hill is slightly after mile 14 (the half marathon start), which I also remembered from last year. From miles 15-25, I definitely started to feel the heat from the sun (I think it was in the 70’s at this point) and unfortunately this course didn’t have hardly any shade cover and the sun was facing directly on us for the most part. During these miles we pass through the town of Erwin (which I love because it’s my Dad’s name and makes me think of him every time I do this race) and then into the towns of Painted Post and then Corning.

My splits for the second half of the race: 8:02, 7:50, 8:17, 8:09, 8:18, 8:24, 8:21, 8:46, 8:33, 8:13, 8:46, 9:15, 8:19. Then 7:16 for the final 0.2 ha.

I started to walk through the water stations around mile 23 because I was feeling warm and then I just really wanted to be done with it in that last bit. I finished in 3:36:19. An 8-minute PR!

I’m obviously excited to finally be under 3:40 in the marathon, but I’m definitely also a bit disappointed in myself. I trained and really thought that I could be close to a 3:25-3:27 on a good day. I did do a great job of taking in my gels every 30min until mile 23- I should’ve taken one more, but I started feeling pretty dehydrated by then. I think I did a great job with carb loading, but certainly taking care of littles and getting less sleep isn’t ideal.

A small part of me is wondering what I might be able to do in NYC next month. I haven’t had many aches or pains after the race and am excited to get running again (2 more rest days). I honestly think I will just see how these next few weeks go, what the weather on the day looks like, and maybe look more closely into the elevation profile.

This is all to say that I love Wineglass and everything they do with this race is amazing. I highly recommend it! I’ve gotten two massive PRs on this course.

New 10k PR & Updates!

I’m officially a sub 46-minute 10k runner- wait, what?! It’s wild to think that I somehow managed to run 7:22 pace for over 6 miles on a fairly humid August day. I certainly wasn’t training for a 10k PR , but I knew I had some fitness going into the race.

After driving to my moms house the night before (after a 12-hour shift) and getting there at 10pm, that 4:45am alarm didn’t feel too great (but I expected that). We drove down together to get to the start area around 7am (since spectators have to get to the finish line area by 7:30). I ate a bagel & PB on the drive there with some liquid IV (açaí is my favorite). I felt super tired from my work shift/late commute, but I also had some adrenaline since it’s one of my favorite races. I had a drop bag with my sandals for afterwards and decided to carry my gels/water bottle with scratch in it. I did a 3-mile warmup out the road where most runners are parking at the start (which turned out to be better than running along the course- like I did last year). The views were stunning too.

I took a Maurten gel 15 minutes before the start and seeded myself in the 7:30ish pace range (goal pace was 7:19). I didn’t have much time to stretch before hopping into the corral, so I did that then.

I decided that I would just ‘go for it’ from the start since it was expected to be cloudy and one of the cooler Beach 2 Beacons that I can remember. I’ve also never just gone for a race from the start, so I was curious what would happen (would I fly and die or would I fly and soar?)- only trying it out would tell me what would happen!

The first mile was my fastest (way too hot- pace wise!) at 7:03. I then tried to settle-in, but honestly I never felt great . I felt slightly nauseous and like I might puke at any moment (which I’ve come to find out that’s what I feel like when I push a hard pace for an extended period of time)! I just kept reminding myself to push as much as I can and that it will be over soon. The first mile is slightly downhill, then there’s some rolling hills for the next few miles until mile 5. The next three miles were 7:18, 7:22, 7:20. Around mile 4, is when you pass through the town of Cape Elizabeth and turn right onto the final road (until you head into Portland Headlight). I love the crowds and sprinklers through this section. Mile 5 was 7:14 and then the hills came.

The other girl in my photo above was totally matching my outfit! I love this part of the course because you get the best ocean views. I kinda petered-out at the final mile (so many uphills and wow, did I feel exhausted)! My final split was 7:52 and then once you get up the steep hill into the park, I hit mile 6 and decided to let it fly- 6:20 pace for that final part!

I couldn’t believe that I ran so fast, but also slightly disappointed that I didn’t hit the sub 45 minute that my v.dot had predicted (it’s normally been very accurate). I was also in a taper-mode for my half Ironman the week before (which I sadly had to DNS due to our girls getting hand, foot, & mouth that week), so I think just stress added up. I’m still super proud that I never gave up (I really wanted to walk on those final few hills!) and still ran a really strong race.

I never could have imagined running this fast even just a few years ago (especially after having twins 19 months prior!). I know having my oophorectomy & ovarian cyst surgery has helped make me feel so much better and I also have less mental pressure that I put on myself about running (it’s much less important than my two babies now). I think those two things, along with hiring an amazing running coach (Coach Cara from Lift. Run.Perform) has helped me snag four PRs this year (one in the 5k, two in the half, and this one in the 10k). I wish I could have done my first 70.3, but I also really want to be able to do it when my whole family can be there at the finish line- so it might be a few years before I decide to jump back into serious triathlon training. I will still keep doing the Tri For A Cure though because I love that race and the great fundraiser it is.

My summer training is now finally complete and I’m onto marathon training! Next up, I have Wineglass Marathon (goal race) at the beginning of October and then the NYC Marathon (fundraising for Every Mother Counts) in November (fun run).

New new & Margarita Half Recap

Well- I guess this really IS the year of PRs! I shaved 10 seconds off my half PR that I set 3 years ago (in 2020 just before the pandemic started) a few weeks ago! I ran through the 10+ mph winds and rain to finish in 1:41:26 and a heftier elevation gain than I was anticipating (over 400’ up).

I’m pretty pumped about my NEWLY minted PR in the half- considering how this was just a training run and isn’t even my goal half yet (next month).

Also very important to share that the girls also did a carbo load with me and they’re coming around to the idea of spaghetti. They’re still wondering why it seems very similar to worms (which they can’t eat), but I’m convinced they’ll come around.

I would also love to know when to expect the girls to stop making messes at mealtime. I know it’s coming eventually, but WOW has it really tested both Alex & mines neat-freakness. I think it’s also important to mention that I’ve finally introduced them to bubble baths and they are obsessed. I’m not a huge fan of Charlotte attempting to ‘taste’ the bubbles by dipping her entire face into the water (this is when I not-so- gently remind myself: “it’s just a phase. It’s JUST A PHASE!”)

Back to my race recap! I did my 3-day carb load (I promptly had a salad for lunch today - thank goodness) from Featherstone Nutrition’s carb calculator and didn’t really do any sort of taper- I did however only run the week leading up to the race and had one strength training session (no biking or swimming), so I came in ‘fresher’ than I normally would have on other training weeks. I also focused on sleep the week before and would work my runs in during the day (rather than getting up early). I had a 4 mile shakeout at 10:27 pace the day before with a few strides.

I knew it was going to rain and be pretty windy, so my expectations went from seeing what kind of fitness I was at to just use it as good training run. It’s funny, but ever since having the girls my approach to running and racing has totally changed (for the better!). I now sleep well the night before a race (unless the girls wake up) and have so much more confidence in my running and racing (I think having an awesome coach has helped me with this too). I fully believe in myself as a runner and know (generally) what I’m capable of. I was fairly confident that I would come in under 1:45 and thought if it was a really good day that a PR was within my reach (even on just a training run). With the weather, I decided to just go at it as a comfortably hard pace and not worry about paces (my watch had my splits a bit early so it wasn’t even reliable anyways). I’ve never had a race start in a Target parking lot until this one. It was weird (but oddly awesome after the race! Hot Starbucks drink, a clean bathroom, and shopping!). I also used this as an opportunity to get my fueling back under my belt (I’m not the greatest at fueling during training runs, but always do it during races).

The start of the race was very weird (also wet- my feet were soaked in the first mile)- we ran a lap and a half around the Lowe’s/ Target parking lot before heading out on some rural roads. I tried to keep my pacing easier to get warmed up for the first few miles and then wanted a comfortable- hard for the remainder. I think my pacing was pretty good! Because the weather was so terrible, there weren’t many spectacular out.

Around mile 7 or so (I think?) we ran near the airport which was windy. At the turn around point of the course (near mile 8), I got excited because I love seeing and knowing I’ve already ran this section. I took in a gel every 4 miles (with the caffeinated one in the middle) and used the lemon lime scratch in my water bottle. I didn’t stop through any aid stations and felt really good the whole time. I love my new Garmin because it tells me my lap (mile) splits through my headphones- a big confidence booster that I also loved during Wineglass! I decided to push myself a bit the last mile - mainly because I was wet and cold and wanted to get on with my day (shopping / outlets/ Trader Joe’s - the important things). The fans that were out cheering at the finish were awesome, except that they were kinda blocking the turn into the finish chute.

Overall , I’m proud of this race in really gross conditions (I kept telling myself that they were the best running conditions) and for not pushing it too hard. I’m hoping to continue to build my fitness in the shorter stuff for a bit before switching over to the triathlon and then marathons this Fall.

I Think This is good…

..when you run 11 miles at 9:20 pace with 400’ elevation gain and it felt like you only ran for 30 minutes-> I think I might be getting fit again and it feels so good. I never felt that sort of fitness in my marathon training last Fall (even though I ran a big PR), so im really excited to see what’s in store for me this year in regards to running!

The girls have been so sweet towards each other lately (besides when they’re hitting or biting each other) and these cute moments definitely outweigh the terrible tantrum ones.

I’ve been super into Emily In Paris lately and the fashion is really the best part. It makes me wish that I had cute places to go each day, but most days practicality outweighs anything remotely fashionable. Thank goodness for a spontaneous trip to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods last week with Izzy to get me out of our small little town (Alex enjoyed the day at home with Charlotte).

Motherhood is equally exhausting and so much fun. I also can’t wait to go for my first run with the girls and apparently they can’t wait either.

My fundraising page for Every Mother Counts is going well and I’m excited to be getting close to hitting almost 1/3 of my goal!

I’m on track to hit another 32+ mile week, which feels super exciting! And it’s finally that time of year where we can explore the porch outside and I can’t wait to put on shorts again while on the run. I love Springtime (plus April is my birthday month which is an extra bonus).

March Training Recap

Well, I was almost finished with my training recap and then it decided to disappear into oblivion. So- let’s try this again! I missed a few training days last month due to a head cold, but I was able to get a new 5k PR of 22:29 (a 50 second PR).

I also did an awesome workout last week where I did a 15 minute tempo at 7:39 pace! I’ve also incorporated more foam rolling and stretching into my routine, which also getting more rest when I felt like I needed it.

I ran 122 miles and biked 54 miles. I’ve also swam twice, which is ok. I’d love to bike 70ish miles this month and swim 3 times. I feel comfortable with swimming in the half Ironman and know that I certainly can swim the distance (I also don’t think I can improve my swim time too much, so I’m ok with having swimming as a minimum).

I’m also excited to race a tune-up half marathon at the end of this month. Hoping to also alternate weeks with a longer bike ride, then a cut-back bike ride. I like to keep my dream schedule high, but my expectations low (reality of having 15 month old twins). I’m also excited to finally have a more consistent work schedule (nurses: speak up when you need changes!), which means more sleep and hopefully no more night shifts.

I just capped off my longest week of training since the marathon (32 miles!) and am excited for what’s to come! Thanks for the amazing training plan Coach Cara (from Lift Run Perform team!). And probably many more days spent at the Museum of Science.