Start Your Engines Virtual Race

Start Your Engines Virtual Race 5k/10k/Half-Marathon
February 22, 2014 9:30 am, Trenton, MI
Temperature: 34 degrees, windchill 22, wind gusts 40 mph
Race #5 in 2014
Race #15 all time
Distance: 5k (3.1 miles)
Time: 33:45, PR is 30:31
Finish: The race was with ourselves, not others (of course, aren't they all?)

Blinged out Photo Credit:  Missy Smith

This was my first virtual race.  I had no idea what to expect, but I was very pleased with everything about it!  I belong to a running group (for ladies only), called Moms Run This Town - Downriver, MI chapter, as this is a national organization.  Our group leader, Janie, organized this event.  Everything from date, location, measuring the course, to balloons on her car to signal the meeting spot!  Fantastic job Janie!

While this race was for the Moms in the group, it would have been perfect, given the dry pavement, to have my boys run along with me...however, they had a grueling hockey practice, scheduled at the same time, to prep for the state tournament coming up.

I joined this running group after the race was already planned out.  The medals had already been ordered. At some point, at least one person dropped out, so I was able to get a medal after all!  I would have still run the race just to do it, but we all know that bling makes a happy runner!  Janie had created an event tab on the group facebook page, so signing up was as simple as stating you were "going" on the facebook page.  Easy peasy!!  Communication was done through that page as well, including telling us about the course lay out.

Another Mom from the group, Nicole, took a shirt order for anyone who wanted shirts.  I personally have too many race shirts to begin with (and it's growing every weekend), so I did not order one.  However, many of the moms did.  They were $12, a white cotton t-shirt, and had the Start Your Engine logo on the front.  Very nice job with the shirts Nicole!

There were 15 of us from the group that ran today (not including husbands and children that ran as well). We met at Elizabeth Park at 9:15 am.  Janie had printed us bibs to wear, so we received those and pinned them on.  Amanda, from our group, was so kind to bring everyone water and bananas for after the race.  So we set the stuff out by our cars so as we each finished, we could hydrate and snack while waiting for the others.  It was CRAZY windy, with wind gusts to 40 mph. It sure felt a lot colder than what it really was.

There is a one way road that makes a loop within the park.  The road was dry!  It's the first time I have seen dry pavement in 2 months, I kid you not!  Janie used chalk to mark areas where we needed to turn around so our exact distance would be 3.1 miles.  For this virtual race you had the option to do a 5k, 10k, or half-marathon.  14 of us did the 5k, and 1 did the 10k.  For the 5k, we looped the course twice, then went out a distance and turned around, per the chalk marks, to come back to finish at exactly 3.10.  Again, excellent job by Janie!!

  

As we all finished, we stayed to cheer each other on to the finish line.  We received our medals, shirts, and took a group picture.

Conclusion:  This was a very fun, relaxing race. It cost me $9 for the medal (optional), and the shirts were $12 (also optional).  I LOVE the medal!  There was no pressure in this race to do well or beat anyone...although Nicole and I have some friendly competition between us :)  Through our group, we all know that each of us is on a separate journey, we respect that, and applaud each other for a job well done today!  I can't wait to do the next virtual race with this group of amazing ladies!

Race on runners
AP Running Mom :)

Riverview Winterfest

Riverview Winterfest 
February 9, 2014 10:00 am, Riverview, MI
Temperature: 20 degrees, windchill 11
Race #4 in 2014
Race #14 all time
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 48:21, this is an automatic PR, my first time at 4 miles
Finish: 12/19 in my age group, 198/272 overall

I signed up for this race on February 5th.  It was very easy.  I went to the Total Runner store, filled out the entry form there, paid $25 via check, received my shirt and bib, and was out in less then 5 minutes.  They had the size shirt I wanted even though I was signing up for this race rather late, so I was happy about that.  

The boys did not run in this race as it was a longer distance, they had hockey practice, and of course, this polar vortex weather we are having!  For the day of the race, I had planned to meet my friend Nicole (from my running group Moms Run This Town) around 9:20 in the school.  I was able to leave my house at 9 am, being I just live 2 cities over. We met up and talked for a bit.  Then I had the traditional picture done with my other running group, SEMR.  I actually met all of these runners (pictured) today for the first time. It's always nice to put a person with their facebook info!

The race organizers did some introductions inside the school gym, told us about the course, to watch our footing in a few places, and reminded us about the free pancake breakfast after!  We were then sent outside to the start line.  The course for this race was all residential and very flat.  The week up to this race and the night prior we received a lot of snow and a lot of ice.  The roads were plowed really well (especially compared to the race the week before).  However, there was a lot of ice on the ground, so I opted to wear spikes on my shoes.  I had literally just purchased the spikes the night before the race, so it was my first time wearing them.  Walking to the start line I thought "uh oh, I'm not gonna like wearing these"...but Nicole assured me as soon as my feet hit the snow I wouldn't notice them.  And she was right.  I totally forgot I even had them on!  

The race itself was pretty uneventful.  There were no water stations for this race.  This is my first four mile race, so I am not sure what the norm is here, but I really thought a 4 miler would have one water stop (half way through).  There were volunteers at every street intersection, which I thought was nice.  There were a lot of streets but we were in a sub-division so there was not any real traffic to deal with.  I only came across one person pulling out of their driveway, but they were very patient, and once they backed out drove really slow passing runners until they were able to turn out of the sub.  

The highlight of this race, for me, was very personal.  The course wasn't exactly out and back on the same roads, but at one point you literally had to run around a cone to make the turn to head back.  At some point, I came up on the last place person.  I was running toward her.  The truck sweeping the race was literally ON the backs of her shoes.  I felt so sorry for her.  I could tell this woman was on a journey, perhaps her first race.  I saw THAT look in her eyes.  I ran up to her, I high fived her, squeezed her shoulders and said I was proud of her, and that she COULD and WOULD finish this race.  I saw the tears in her eyes as she said thank you and we parted ways.  

As I approached the finish line I looked up to see a few SEMR runners who had already finished.  They were cheering me on to finish strong.  I wanted to cry myself...that's the first time I had someone cheering for me (besides my boys of course) at a race.  It is so encouraging to have someone call your name and tell you that you can do it!  They even took this photo of me right before the finish!

I desperately needed something to drink after the race, so I went back in the school, where they had water waiting in cups set up on tables right at the entrance.  I wanted to go back out and cheer for more SEMR runners, but my calf muscles were really tightening up, so I needed to sit.  This has never happened to me before.  On a side note, later that day I purchased a foam roller and a foot roller, have been using it ever since, and the pain has not come back.

I then found my way to the cafeteria and Nicole, who finished ahead of me, and we ate our pancakes, sausage, and orange juice.  I love when races do something a little different.  Breakfast that morning really hit the spot!  After eating, we then went to the auditorium and waited for the rest of the runners to finish, eat, and file in.  First there was a guest speaker, Dot McMahan, who won the USA 25k National Championship last year.  She talked about her training, the importance of proper eating, sticking with a plan, and getting a good coach.  There was then a Q & A with Dot.  After that, the race organizers handed out the awards, which were 3 deep every 5 years.  In between sets, they were also giving out raffle prizes to random bib numbers.  Neither Nicole or I won anything :(  Some of the prizes included entries to other races this year.

Conclusion:  I paid $25 (I missed the early bird sign up for $20) for a chip timed 4 mile race. Runners received a long sleeve cotton shirt and a pancake breakfast after the race.  There were also many raffle prizes given away.  The roads were plowed the best they could.  I would like to have seen a water station along the way.  And I would like to tell the race organizers to back off the last place person a bit.  But overall, I was pretty happy with this race, and look forward to doing it again next year.

Race on runners

AP Running Mom :)

Super 5K, Novi MI

Super 5K
February 2, 2014 9:00 am, Novi, MI
Temperature: 26 degrees, windchill 19
Race #3 in 2014
Race #12 all time
Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)
Time: 39:16, PR is 30:31
Finish: 103/186 in my age group, 1302/1930 overall

I signed up for this race on January 13th, via their online registration.  Easy peasy, as most races are these days.  Again, because of the weather this year and risk of injury, my children did not run this race. The main group of ladies in one of my running groups (Moms Run This Town) all ran this race and we met after for a group picture (above). The ONLY positive things from this race were: the easy sign up, running with friends, and the bling.

We were offered packet pick up on Saturday only between 2 and 4 pm at the Novi Civic Center.  I do not see this as a large enough time window.  I was in Frankenmuth running Winterlaufe on Saturday.  And while the race was finished by 11, I still had to check out of the hotel, change, eat lunch, and do some sight seeing.  Combined with the nasty weather on the way home, I was not in the Novi area until about 4:30 and packet pick-up was already over.  I sent a message to the race organizers asking if they would be staying a little latter due to the weather and never received a response.  Strike 1.

The race was at 9 am Sunday.  The race did communicate by telling everyone that the roads to get to Novi may not be clear yet, from the previous days snow storm, so to arrive early.  I left Allen Park at 7 am, and arrived in front of the Novi Civic Center at 7:55 am.  The roads were indeed very bad, the highways near my house were a sheet of ice, so I hopped off at the first exit and opted to take Telegraph all the way to Novi.   I was pretty proud of myself for still getting to the race IN PLENTY of time to get my bib and get settled.

As I arrive to the civic center, police are directing traffic into the civic center parking lot.  That's GREAT I thought!  As I go up and down every aisle, along with hundreds of my closest running friends, I discover not one single parking spot.  As I am exiting this lot, a race volunteer is directing me, and my hundred friends, to go to the parking lot behind the one I was just in.  We follow her direction.  Again, up and down every aisle.  Some aisles had no way out because people were parking where-ever they wanted to!  I then exit that lot, again, to be directed by another volunteer to a third lot on the side of the civic center.  And again, up and down every aisle, ALL full!  Strikes 2, 3, and 4.

I am now truly flustered, as it is 8:46 am.  I spent 51 minutes just trying to find a parking spot! I fully understand if lots are full, as there were 2,000 runners in the race, but for the love of God, why I was DIRECTED to totally full lots?  This was a major lack of communication within the race organizers control. As I was exiting the civic center completely, the police and the race volunteers told me to make a left on Ten Mile and go to Taft Road and find somewhere to park.  Had I listened, I would have never made it to a parking spot, then to get my bib, then to the start line in time.  As I was waiting at the light to turn, I noticed a side street right across from the civic center.  I thought it would be packed with runners parking there, but I tried it, and low and behold no one was there.  I got a good spot, ran across a very busy Ten Mile, and made it in to get my bib at 8:56.  I then ran to the start line (it was a little hike) and while running tried to secure my bib the best I could.  I had to place the beanie and the pin in my jacket pockets because I did not have time to return to my car. Strike 5.  I also had to wait for the volunteer to finish her personal conversation with 2 other girls before helping me, 4 minutes before a race!!!  Clearly she was not a runner (I hope).

I arrived to the start line out of breath (already) from running, but got there just in time as the end of the line was moving forward because the race had already started.  I did not hear a gun, not sure if there was one.  I also did not hear the National Anthem or anything else.  I crossed the matts and I was off.

The first section of the race went down Taft.  For the most part, this road was pretty decent after the snow the Novi area received the night before.  Was it perfect, no, but it wasn't bad.  It was definitely more slippery than the race the day before, and they (Winterlaufe) had much more snow to deal with.  I'm not sure why this was, but after all, I am the one who signed up for a race in February, so I figured I would deal with it.  The race then turns into a subdivision.  The first couple blocks I was feeling great, trudging thru 4 inches of snow. Until I realized the entire subdivision was like this!  The roads were not plowed AT ALL before this race.  Strike 6.

While I realize the city of Novi has many more important roads to clear before a sub division, I would like to believe something would have been worked out to have this done.  If not, I know many snow removal/landscaping/plow people who could have done a 3 mile route in no time for a fairly low cost.  By this point in the race, I am really pissed.  But the new me will not give up.  I had to keep reminding myself this is the new me and I will NOT STOP.  If you have ever been in this position, where the old you would have stopped, you know how mentally exhausting it can be to fight this battle mentally.  Let alone the actual physical battle.  Strike 7 (even though I will own this strike as my own fault).

Did I mention this quote from the race website "Accurate, paved, mostly flat 3.1 mile course.  You gotta see that post-race junk food!"  To a newbie like myself, I take mostly flat course meaning NO hills.  Perhaps a slight elevation change per the garmin, but nothing we would significantly notice.  WRONG.  There were hills.  To an experienced runner, these hills were probably not a big deal.  To someone who just began running and has never trained for hills, yes, they were a big deal.  I just did hills in the race the day before, and while those hills were also unexpected, the race was not advertised as mostly flat.  They just didn't say anything.  So prior to this race I was expecting NO hills, and yet, they had hills.  Strike 8.  Try running (lol) in 4 inches of snow up a hill with no hill training.  I. WAS. DONE.  I walked out of the sub-division.  I didn't give up, but I physically and mentally was too drained at that point to run.

When we were back on Taft road, headed back to the finish line, the road cleared up.  I was able to run from there to the finish line.  I'm not going to lie, it's the first time I have cried during a race.  Not from pain, not from being happy, but from being so upset over the entire day, and I was also mad at myself for letting it all affect me that much

I waited at the finish line for my friends to finish the race.  We got our medals (which were AWESOME) and our pint glasses (not so awesome) and a water.  We walked back to the Novi Civic Center for this post-race junk food that was bragged about in every single communication from the race.  We arrived to find hot dogs.  That was it.  Nothing to drink.  No "junk" food.  We were lucky to find a ketchup bottle that still had ketchup in it!  I have since heard from other runners about all this great food.  None of this food was available when we went in.  Strike 9.

Later in the day, the results were posted.  I can't even begin to explain how confusing the results page is, as they are reporting your net time and your finish time.  Several of my friends still don't have the correct times on either aspect of it.  Their times are not corresponding with their garmins, etc.  The whole thing just seems too confusing.  Because I have run previous races with a delayed start because of so many runners, I get the difference, but it was hard and confusing to first time racers.   Strike 10.

Conclusion: I paid $37.95 for a 5k chip timed race.  I received a finishers medal that is by far the best one I have ever received, a beanie that will not stay on my head even though it's a one size fits all, a pint glass (which I could have done without), and a button (again, can do without).  For very well seasoned runners, I would recommend this course, given the same snowy conditions.  However, I would not recommend it for a new runner, a slower runner, or someone who is looking to PR a race.  I will NOT be doing this race again. This is my first race with Running Fit.  I truly hope future races with them are better.

AP Running Mom :)

Winterlaufe 8K, Frankenmuth MI

Winterlaufe
February 1, 2014 10:00 am, Frankenmuth, MI
Temperature: 23 degrees, windchill 13
Race #2 in 2014
Race #11 all time
Distance: 8K (five miles)
Time: 59:26, an automatic PR as this was my first 8K
Finish: 23/33 in my age group, 385/493 overall

I LOVED this race!  I'll start by saying that I did not enter my boys in this race.  My boys play on a travel hockey team, which means I have an ice bill and other related expenses, every single month, that is comparable to a house payment and car payment combined for most people. Therefore, I do not want them running in conditions like this race offered.  They simply cannot risk injuring themselves, as I will still have to pay their ice bill whether they are playing or not! They were happy to go along with me to this race and play in the waterpark that our hotel offered.

I signed up for this race online, on Wednesday (yes just 3 days prior), via their website.We left Friday after school and headed up to Frankenmuth for a quick one night get-away.  We stayed at the Bavarian Lodge, where the boys really enjoyed the "EPIC" waterslides.  They haven't stopped talking about them yet!  We ate dinner in the car while driving up, an unfortunate reality in our family.  We at least have it down to a science now without getting the car too messy.  When we arrived to Frankenmuth, we first stopped at Fischer Hall for packet pick up.  That went smooth. Then it was over to the hotel, just down the block from the Fischer. After checking in, we immediately headed to the pool area and stayed there until the pool closed.  While the boys were having fun, I was able to finally meet two runners from my running group that I previously only knew through the computer.  I chatted with Amy and Nicole for a bit, walked around the hotel, and finally got back to our room at midnight!

Before I knew it, my alarm was going off, and it was my 40th BIRTHDAY!!! A lot of people think I am crazy for running a race on my birthday, but I actually planned it out a while ago...I wanted to spend my birthday weekend running two races.  I wanted to start the rest of my life with a healthier lifestyle. The boys stayed at the hotel playing miniature golf and I headed over to the start line for the race, which happened to be right across the street from the hotel.  Being able to leave 15 minutes before the start of a race is very rare, so that was the first highlight of this race!

I met up with some of the runners from the Southeastern Michigan Runners group, and just like that, the race was starting.  I knew nothing about this course as I have never done this race before.  Upon starting, I looked as far as I could in the direction we were running, assessed the situation, and thought, wow, this isn't bad.  It seemed like a flat course, and the snow had been plowed since the last snowfall there.  The ground was slightly slushy and snowy, but I had no issues with my footing right away.  I was able to immediately get into my ten minute mile pace.  THEN....

We made the first turn, and what???? Hills??? I am very new to this sport of running.  I just took it up last year.  ALL of my races have had zero elevation change prior to this.  Ok, so the Detroit Half Marathon had the assent to get on the Ambassador bridge, but I walked that entire section.  So I was immediately faced with "what do I do?".  I didn't even answer myself!  I just kept going, and going, and going.  I was so proud of myself, turning 40, TODAY, doing what I love, enjoying this beautiful scenery.  I really didn't even think about those hills.  I cannot stress enough how truly beautiful this course was.  There was a small section of houses, and then open fields just covered in untouched snow. The course took us over a small wooden bridge, and I made a mental note, that if I ever took up cross country skiing, I wanted to come back to that exact spot.  The river of course was completely frozen, with untouched snow piled on top.

The course was out and back.  The only problem I came across was the footing onto and off the bridge, as the ice was extremely thick in this area.  Everyone around me, including me, decided to walk onto and off the bridge a few feet, then pick up the running again.  The trail area on the opposite side of the bridge was a bit more slushy and snowier than the rest of the course, so I found myself going slower.  I have a fear of falling and injuring my knee again so I would rather be safe then sorry.  I know I will never be a fast enough runner to win a race, and I am ok with that.  So safety was top priority.  After my last ACL repair, the doctor said the next step was knee replacement, so I just cannot risk re-injuring that leg.

After we made the turn, I discovered the best was yet to come.  We were now facing the wind and the snow/ice mixture that was falling from the heavens.  Falling would be an understatement.  It was more like pelting in your face.  But it was that good kind of feeling.  Call me crazy, but I loved it.  I have a really warm, eye protecting hat I wear while running in the cold, and I was thankful for that today because it sure kept my eyes clear of the ice.  I can't say the same for my mouth and cheeks.  Several times I inhaled ice straight into my throat!  By the time I finished the race, there was several more inches of snow on the ground then when I started.  My outer set of clothes was soaking wet.  But I was happy.

After the race I walked over to the finishers tent.  They had two tents.  The first had bananas, apples, bagels, water, chocolate milk (my favorite after a race), and some type of kool aid/juice already poured in cups.  I just grabbed a nana, apple, water, and a chocolate milk.  I headed into the next tent where they were serving pizza.  That was a nice surprise.  I chose the pineapple and ham.  It was the best pizza I have ever had, ever.  However, after just running my longest distance race to date (minus the half marathon which I half walked and didn't train for), I was not up to eating an entire slice of pizza.  I had a few bites and then headed out to explore the ice sculptures on my way back to the hotel.

From there, I picked up the kids, we went to Zehnders for my birthday lunch, and then to Bronners to buy some Christmas ornaments to remember our trip by.  It was then time to head home.

Conclusion:  Race entry was $30 plus $3.95 processing fee.  The hotel was $83.25 total.  Staying in a hotel was not necessary, as typically this drive would be less than a 2 hour drive.  However, given the weather conditions, I wanted to play it safe.  Plus it allowed the kids a chance to be kids!  It was a chip timed race.  I received a long sleeve light blue cotton shirt with sizes that run true.  The after race food was typical, with the added surprise of that delicious pizza.  My only regret for this race is that I couldn't finish an entire slice!  I highly recommend this race, and look forward to doing it again next year.  This race is part of a series.  I was not planning on doing the other two races, but I am so pleased with the organization of everything, the course, and the trip itself, that I have decided to try and do the other two races.  Plus, I would hate to pass up on the really BIG medal you get for doing all three races!

AP Running Mom :)

Life After 40...

Today I turned 40.  There was no celebration, no party, no gifts.  While it seems the world has chosen to ignore the fact that I, Leah Holben, have turned 40, I have not.  As I am sure many do, you really evaluate your life at this age, where have you been, where are you going, what will you do for the last half of your life?  Over the past 8 months, I have taken up the sport of running.  So have my sons Ian, age 8, and Colby, age 6.   We are very passionate about this sport.  Running isn't the only thing we do, but it sure is what has changed our lifestyle, and is leading us to be a healthier and happier family.  So life after 40, for me, begins with this blog. I wanted to chronicle my children's athletic journey, so I figured I would bring YOU along for all the fun!

AP Running Mom :)