Core Training For Runners

By now I'm sure you have heard of the importance of core training for runners.  A strong, stable core helps with posture, form and running economy.  But often times I find that many runners associate the term "core" solely with abs, thus their core training consists only of crunches and sit ups.  

But the core is more than just the abdominal region, and proper core training involves much more than the aforementioned exercises.  The core is defined by the structures that make up the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex, including the lumbar spine, pelvic girdle, abdomen and hip joint.  So along with the transverse abdominis (aka your tummy), the muscles you'll want to focus on during core training also include the hamstrings, glutes, hips, lower back and oblique muscles.

Below are a few of the core exercises we have our athletes do here at The Athlete Factory, I prescribe to my Strength2Run clients, and that I too incorporate into my own workout routine to build core strength and stability.

Plank
One of my absolute favorite baseline core exercises is the plank.  There are several progressions to this exercises, but it is important to master the basic plank before moving on.  Begin lying prone with your elbows underneath your shoulders, palms together.  Come on to your toes and engaging your abdominal as well as glute muscles, pull your body up, parallel to the ground.  Tuck your pelvis towards your rib cage, pulling your belly button towards your spine.  Be sure to break steady for the entire hold.  Attempt to hold for 20-30 seconds for 3 sets.
[Progressions: Tall Planks with Shoulder Taps, Plank Walk Ups, Elbow Planks with Legs Lifts]

Bridge
As stated above, core exercises are not just for the abs.  Here is a great one to engage your glutes, inner and outer thighs.  Begin lying on your back with your knees bent, your arms by your side and your toes pointed up towards the ceiling.  Tilt your pelvis towards your rib cage and squeeze your glute muscles as you draw as much of your spine off the ground.  Press your hips up high continuing to engage the abs and squeezing the glutes.  While doing so, engage the thigh muscles by working hard to keep them parallel to each other.  Hold for a 3 count at the top and slowly release to the bottom position.  Do 10 reps for 3 sets.
[Progressions: Single Leg Bridges, Stability Ball Bridge, Bench Hip Thrusters]

Bird Dogs
Begin in an all-four position with your palms beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath our hips.  Draw one arm forward, parallel to the ground and the OPPOSITE leg back and parallel to the ground.  With the belly button pulled into your spine and keeping the back flat, pull the knee and elbow together (or at least towards each other, they do not have to touch) then release back to original position of arm and leg extended.  Repeat 10x's on one side then perform on the other side for 3 sets each.
[Progressions: Bird Dog Holds, Banded Bird Dogs]

Clam Shells (Band)
Beginners may omit the band while getting used to this exercise and add it in for the challenge.  Begin lying one side with shoulders, knees and ankles stacked on top of each other.  Draw the knees up in line with the hips so that hips and knees are both at a 90 degree angle.  Place top hand on top hip to help keep it in position.  Engaging your the outer glute and thigh of the top leg, lift top leg up (keeping ankles together) and squeeze for a 3 count at the top.  Slowly return to start position and repeat.  Do 10-15 reps on each side for 3 sets.
[Regression: Not Band; Progression: Heavier Resisted Band]

Roll Out (Stability Ball)
This exercise kicks the basic plank up a notch.  Begin in a plank position (see above) on a stability ball.  Keeping feet in place and engaging abs and glutes, slowly roll the ball forward then slowly return to original position.  Do 10-20 reps for 3 sets.
[Progressions: Pot Stirs, V-Presses, Hands on Ball Roll Outs]

Squat Chops (Med Ball)
Begin in a standing position with feet slightly wider than hip distance a part.  Holding a light to medium weight medicine ball in front of chest with arms extended straight out, lower hips down and back, weight in to the heels, lowering ball straight beneath body.  Return to standing position bringing ball overhead.  Repeat 10-15 reps for 3 set.
[Progressions: Heavier Weighted Media Ball, Med Ball Slams]

Of course there are several other exercises and progressions to build a strong, stable core that do not involve trunk flexion (aka crunching), but these are just a few simple movements you can begin incorporating in to your programming.  For additional information or guidance on core training, as well as strength and conditioning programming for runners, feel free to contact me today!

Now You Can Train With the CoachRunnerFitmom

It's pretty obvious from my blogging and InstaLife that I love me some running and fitness.  My daily posts about my training are not only there for me to reflect on and keep me accountable, but also hopefully serve as inspiration and motivation to some of my InstaFriends.

But what many may not know is that fitness is not just my passion, it is also my livelihood and has been for over a decade!  I have been a part of a wide variety of fitness endeavors from personal training to clinical exercise physiology to gym management.   Today, my husband (Hunter) and I own and operate a performance training facility here in Central Florida called The Athlete Factory.  In our facility, we train competitive athletes from youth to professional, as well as "weekend warriors."  This had been a dream of ours since we met back in our college day and has been such a crazy ride to make it come true!

Being involved in sports my whole life, I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in the filed.  I attended East Carolina University, where I received a degree in Exercise Physiology.  While there, I obtained my first ever certification as an aerobics instructor and began teaching classes my Junior year, and my senior year, I interned as an exercise physiologist (which is where I met my husband).  After college, I moved to Orlando to pursue a career in sports and fitness, and soon became a fitness manager at one of the area's premier health clubs.  Hunter, who was working at the same club, built an impressive clientele of many of the area's most elite athletes and soon landed a job in management as the sport performance team leader.

When our first son was born, I took some time off to stay home with my him, and worked part time with a few clients and taught group exercise classes.  About a year after our second son was born, Hunter, and I decided to open our own facility and I returned to work full time with him.  Already certified in personal training and a variety of group fitness genres from yoga to spinning, I added a Strength and Conditioning coach certification to my repertoire and began coaching athletes of all ages, sports and skill level.

I absolutely love getting to work with a wide variety of athletes in our facility, helping them achieve their performance goals, but I have also wanted to reach even more people, specifically in the running community where I feel most at home.  So I began blogging and posting about my own personal journey, as well as share some knowledge and expertise in hopes to educate, motivate and inspire others.  Over the past year or so, it has been brought to my attention by friends, followers and former colleagues, how much I could truly help fellow runners by combining my passion for running with my strength coaching background.

So I am pleased to announce, I am currently working on a program that will do just that!  A strength and conditioning program designed specifically for the needs and demands of runners.  And unlike other programs where you just download a cookie-cutter collection of exercises and left to your own demise, you will receive personalized program design (based on your goals, needs and current level of fitness), as well as coaching and accountability from yours truly.

And guess what, you do not even have to live anywhere near me to be able to train with me!  This program will all be done through an easy to use app that can be downloaded right to your mobile device.  Through the app, I will provide you with all the programming, a workout schedule, videos of all the exercises, 24/7 access to me through mobile messaging, accountability and much more!  In addition to the app, there will be an initial phone call to discuss your goals, availability, medical history and any other information that helps me set up the most effective plan for you.  Then there will be a monthly follow up call to ensure we are on the right path to get you where you want to go.

Program launch is projected for later this month and more information on program details, pricing and how to sign up will be coming in the very near future.  I will only have limited space, so if this is something you may be interested in, contact me ASAP so you will be the first to know when you can get started training with me!

Hamstring Mobility For Runners

As runners, our bodies take quite a beating during training and racing.  We some times feel these effects pretty quickly after a run, but more often, it's a more gradual issue.   And when these nagging issues go untreated, they can become more bothersome and even painful, affecting performance.  One common area of concern for runners is the hamstring complex (the muscles on the posterior side of your thigh).  When the hamstrings become very tight and sore, it is often a sign of a strain (when a muscle is stretched or torn).  In most acute cases, runners find temporary relief with stretching and foam rolling, so they assume this is the only way to treat bothersome hamstrings.  But throwing your foot up on a park bench forcing yourself into a stretch or applying tons of pressure to an already tender muscle can actually be counter productive.  In reoccurring or ongoing situations (which is most common among distance runners), hamstrings feel "tight" and sore because they are actually over-lengthened.  Which is probably why stretching and rolling has not provided much relief at this point.  So what can you do when your hammies are sore, tight or painful and it starts affecting your run?  Below are some mobility exercises you can incorporate into your cross-training and/or warm up to help treat and prevent hamstring issues.

But first, let's identify the function of the hamstrings, how they become tight and how that can effect your running.

What Do the Hamstrings Do?
Your hamstrings include the large muscles that run along the back of your thighs, from your pelvis to the top of your lower legs, called the biceps femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus.  In their simplest form, they bend the knee.  But from a functional standpoint, they serve to decelerate hip flexion and knee extension, and help to slow the foot before initial ground contact.  So blah blah blah, basically in distance running, hamstrings play a key roll in the drive phase, which is where you generate the most power.  And more power = better running economy.

How Are They "Injured"
Hamstring problems are common among distance runners who have significantly increased their workload or prematurely introduced speed work.  Unlike sprinters or other athletes who use quick, explosive movements, hamstring strains occur more gradually for distance runners rather than an immediate "pull" during a particular exercise.  Runners may also notice how their tightness tends to ease up during running but return afterwards.  This is why many runners assume their hamstrings are just "tight" and simply need to be stretched or rolled.  But as mentioned above, hamstring strains in distance runners are caused by the continual over-lengthening of the muscles.  Once a muscle is strained, it tends to further tighten and become painful when stretched and palpated, which is why stretching and rolling can actually aggravate the strain even more.

How To Prevent Injury
Having a well-rounded program which includes a progressive mileage build up, appropriate speed work and of course strength and conditioning will help prevent hamstring strains (as well as other nagging injuries).  Keep in mind, your strength and conditioning program is not simply limited to weight training and should also include stability, flexibility, ploymetircs as well as restorative exercises (I will go into more detail about the other components in later posts).   For now, let's discuss some hamstring specific mobility exercises we use with our athletes at our facility.  As I mentioned above, simply stretching can actually be counterproductive. So the following exercises provide a more integrated approach to improving hamstring strength and mobility for injury prevention.

Walking Scoops

Coaching Cues: Step one foot slightly in front of the other.  Flex the forward foot while keeping the knee extended (straight) and scoop your arms down towards the ground then upwards.  Repeat with the other foot to the front and do about 10 scoops per foot, reaching deeper each time.


Side Lunge with Toe Up

Coaching Cues: Take a wide lateral step with one leg, bending that knee and drawing your hips down and back.  Keep the opposite leg straight and rotate the flexed foot upwards towards.  Hold for a 3 count, returning back to original standing position and repeating on opposite side.  Perform 10 reps per side.

Wall Reaches

Coaching Cues: Stand several feet away from the wall with feet together.  Hinging forward from the hips, extend one leg straight behind you with your flexed foot pointing straight down to the ground, and reach both arms forward towards the wall.  Return to original standing position and repeat 10 reps per side.

Banded Leg Drops

Coaching Cues: Place a large elastic band (or yoga strap) around the arch of your foot.  Draw both legs straight up above your hips.  Lower the NON-BANDED leg straight down towards the ground and lift back up to original position.  Repeat 10 reps per leg.

When to Decrease or Stop Running?
So with all that being said, there still remains the question, to run or not to run with "tight" hamstrings?  As long as you feel no major discomfort, it is OK to continue running with a moderately tight hamstring.  At that point, mobility exercises along with foam rolling and stretching may be all you need.  Consider eliminating speed work and decreasing your weekly mileage until tightness subsides.  If running is painful, I would suggest taking several days off completely.  Avoid over-stretching the hamstring to prevent further tears.  Use the foam roller sparingly if at all when the muscles are very tender to not further irritate the tissue.  Take it slow and easy when returning to running and be sure to incorporate mobility exercises into your warm up and cross training.  After all your efforts you're still experience hamstring concerns or the injury seems to be rather significant, discontinue activity and seek the help of a medical professional for further treatment.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and this blog is not designed to provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual.  If you believe you have a true medical concern, you should contact your medical care provider.  I am, however, a certified strength and conditioning coach through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.  The above information is from my expertise working with competitive athletes, fellow runners and from my own personal experience.

Week 7: Time to Ditch the Excuses

In my 7th week of marathon training, I had to have a HUGE pep talk with myself.  I feel like I have been selling myself short a lot during this cycle and giving in to every "reason" why training has been so challenging. I finally decided to ditch the excuses and start getting serious about my training if I want to reach my goal.  I have to admit, having come up short at a BQ in my last 3 attempts, I was kinda in a strange place heading into this training cycle. You see, I know what it's like to fail, I've come quite accustomed to that, unfortunately.  And as much as it sucks, let's be honest here, it sure is a lot easier to just give in rather than push through when it gets tough. But I am really freaking tired of taking the easy route because I'm freaking tired of failing (pardon my French).  I'm ready to finally turn my dream into a reality and this week was about taping into that desire and how it will drive me the rest of my training.

So without any further ado, here's a recap of week 7, one of my best weeks of raining thus far...

Monday: 60min Spinning + Strength Training
Taught my usual spin class and got in a quick weight lifting session before hand.  I focused a lot on power exercises in the weight room, incorporating single arm snatches, box jumps and split squat jumps.  And spin class was great, energy was through the rough, I had a blast and was drenched in sweat!

Tuesday: 5.5mi Speed Work + Hot Yoga

It has been very busy and hectic at work and often the only free time I have is between 5-7am.  So I decided to use that time to get some work done rather than my speed work.  I figured I could squeeze in a quick run on my lunch break or later in the evening if need be, work has to come first.  Luckily, I was able to sneak out for an hour before lunch and decided to do my speed work on the treadmill.  I was a little iffy about it at first, just not feeling it.  But that is when it hit me, I have been iffy and whiny and full of excuses all this time, it was time to put in work dammit!  So I sucked it up and ended up absolutely CRUSHING my speed work!  I ran 6x800's (I was only scheduled for 4 but felt so great I did 2 more) with a pace closer to my 400 rather than 800!  I know they can't always feel that great, but I definitely need a good, hard workout like that to get me back in the game.  Hot Yoga later that evening was a great accompaniment to my speed from earlier.

Wednesday: Strength Training + Yoga
Total body strength at Planet Fitness on my lunch break where I did a little bit of everything, including some much needed lower body exercises and core.  I don't do much for legs, though I know I need to, so I hit it pretty hard (which I ended up paying for as the week went on, uhoh).  It was back to work for the rest of then I picked up the kids, rushed over to LA Fitness and talk Yoga.  Oh the life of a working fitmom, 3 different gyms in a matter of hours!

Thursday: 5.5mi Tempo Run
Hunter and I ended up sleeping in until about 5:45 that morning, feeling as if we needed a little extra rest.  When we woke up, he went into the gym to workout and work, so I headed downstairs to get some work done too.  I originally planned to run on my lunch break but decided to knock it out before heading into the gym for the day.  Hunter took the kids to school as I rand around the neighborhood.  The heat and humidity got to me quickly and I kept thinking about slowing down or cutting it short.  But then I remembered the pep talk I had to give myself once this week already and pushed through.  It wasn't the pace I was shooting for but it wasn't too far off and I'm glad that I broke through some mental barriers.

Friday: 2mi Hill Repeats
Normally, I do upper and core on Fridays but Hunter sent me a text on his way back from out of town (he was gone for the night) asking me if I wanted to run this hills out in Apopka.  So of course I said heck yeah!  There are not many "hills" in this area, it's actually pretty flat around here.  I had heard about this hill out in Apopka that some of our NFL guys like to go run up and had been eager to give it a try.  We got out there around 1pm with the sun high in the sky and beating hard down on us.  We measured out a tenth of the mile uphill and began our work.  We sprinted as hard as we could up the hill and briskly walked back down, doing that 10 times.  It was definitely tough.  When I found myself slowing down or wanting to even stop, I would tell myself to push harder, my BQ was at the top of the hill.  Pushing through now, and all of the other times that get tough, is what it's going to take to get my that goal.  That's exactly what we did that afternoon, and Hunter and I were both pretty exhausted that evening.

Saturday: 10mi Treadmill Run

I thought I was finally going to get out on the trail with my MRTT mamas but thanks to my van needing some service it was yet another no go for me this weekend.  We had to get the car seats into Hunter's truck, drop the van off at the shop then drop Hunter off at work.  So the boys and I headed over to LA Fitness so I could get my miles in on the treadmill.  It could have been the hard lower body workouts of the week, exhaustion from hill work, or me just being mentally not there, but the run started off pretty rough.  I kept wondering, "it shouldn't be this difficult, is there something wrong with me?"  So there I was again, having to give myself another pep talk, reminding myself that if I want to race hard, I have to train hard.  It wasn't easy, in fact I had to fight pretty hard for the miles and the pace.  But I pushed through it, finishing up the ten miles with an average pace of 7:23 and my last mile the fastest one at 6:36!

By Saturday afternoon, my legs were shot, I was so tired but I was on another level mentally.  I had broken through some HUGE mental barriers this week, that I had been needing to break since this Spring.  I feel like moving forward, I have a much better attitude and I'm ready to give the rest of the training cycle my absolute all.  No excuses, just hard work to make this BQ finally freaking happen!

Oh, and Sunday: REST DAY!
Rest and relaxation with my favorite people was spent taking the boys to see The Secret Life of Pets (which is super cute btw) and then hanging out by the pool the rest of the day!  Exactly what I needed after a hard week of training.

Product Review: The Orange Mud Hydration Vest

We all know the importance of proper hydration, especially during the hot summer months.  I've always been diligent about bring water and electrolytes along with during my long training runs, but unfortunately have never been a fan of how I have been able to do some.  From belts to handheld bottles, I have yet to find anything that seems to fit right, not drive me insane and of course hold enough hydration for me.  That is until now.

After seeing several of my Instagram "friends" post runfies with these water bottle backpacks, I decided to do a little research to see exactly what it is they were wearing and if it would be worth a shot.  I discovered that these backpacks were actually hydration vests made by The Orange Mud company.  I had a little bit of a sticker shock at first, and wondered if it was worth the price.   Like I said above, all the other belts and packs I have tried over the years were rather uncomfortable and/or did not hold enough water for my longer runs.  And since I have wasted quite a bit of money on said apparatuses, I was pretty leery to purchase yet another item that could potentially be equally disappointing.

I read through the product descriptions, skimmed through the reviews asked a couple of friends who use them their opinion, and I was sold.  With my training for the Chicago Marathon in full swing, I was desperate to find a product that would keep me well hydrated during this hot Florida summer and this seemed to be the answer.  Before I knew it, I had the credit card out and ordered the HydraQuiver Vest Pack.

From the second I placed the order, the communication from the company was top notch.  I received a confirmation email as well as a Facebook direct message from Orange Mud.  The very next day, I received messages letting me know my item was ready to be shipped, along with a tracking number and when I could expect my vest.  I also received an email with information and an instructional video on caring for and how to use the pack.

In just a matter of days, my package arrived and, as I always am when running stuff comes in the mail, was as giddy as a kid on Christmas morning!  As soon as I opened the packaging and removed the vest, I could told why the higher cost, it was really high quality.  Very durable, but lightweight, great padding where it needed it most, plenty of pockets, multiple adjustable straps to get a good fit, and a nice big water bottle.  I couldn't wait to test this puppy out and see if it lived up to the hype, but I had a feeling it would!

I had a 14 miler scheduled for this week and I figured that would be the perfect time to take it for a test run.  I cleaned the bottle the night before and filled it up with my Nuun hydration tablets and water in the morning.  I put a couple of Honeystinger gels in one of the large front pockets and my GoPro (gotta get that runfie) in the other.  In one of the shoulder pockets I put my key.  I made a couple of quick adjustments to the straps and was off for my run.

About a mile or so in, I had to readjust the side straps, but the chest strap was a great fit.  After that, I was good to go.  Unlike many of the other belts and packs the ride up my hips, bounce and rotate around my waist and slosh around on my back, the snug vest stayed right in place.  Despite wearing a vest I was not used to wearing in insanely hot temps and high humidity, the breathable material and great fit had me forgetting all about it at times.  Well at least until I needed something.

I was able to reach back whenever need be, grab my bottle and take a few sips of much needed Nuun water.  When I needed my gel, it was right there in my chest pocket.  And when it was time to snap a photo of it all, my GoPro was easily accessible!

So to sum it all up. here is a quick little recap of the vest...

Pros
Great fit, easily adjustable
Good sized water bottle (I purchased single barrel but they also offer a double)
Very easy to clean
Plenty of pockets for gels, phone, keys, etc.
High quality materials and stitching, very durable
Free and fast shipping
Plenty of communication and helpful information from the company

Cons
I did hit the back of my head a couple of times on the top of the water bottle while looking up
Forgot to put some glide on my chest so I experienced a little bit of chaffing (lesson learned)
It was a little pricey, but it is totally worth it
Wish it had more color options (only comes in Orange and Black or Grey)
No local retailer, had to be ordered online, but again, free and fast delivery so can't complain

All in all it was a great purchase that will certainly get much use.  I am so very grateful for this product and know it is going to help me during these hot summer training runs as I prepare for Chicago.  If you are in the market for a new hydration belt or back, I highly recommend checking out an Orange Mud hydration vest!

Oh, and I almost forgot.  About my run... Well, it was a little slower than I would have liked but I am grateful to have pushed through and gotten the miles in.  I have been battling a bit of an Achilles issuesfrom an injury last fall and also decided to pull back a little bit because of the heat.  But despite those two concerns, it actually went fairly well.  It's definitely going to be a loooooong hot summer of training, but thankfully I have a new hydration vest to help with that!

Race Recap: Riverside Dash 15k

There are not many 15k races in the area, so it's not a distance I get to race often.  In fact, it had been over two years since I last raced a 15k and it was actually at this very event.  I remember it being a smaller, local event that was well organized and a lot of fun, so I was super excited to run it again this year.  There were a few changes since the last time I ran it, but it was equally awesome, so here is a recap of the event and my experience running it this past Sunday.

Signing Up with Ease
Let's start with registration because it is always a plus when it is an easy and inexpensive process.  I signed up several months ago using a coupon code I had received through my Moms Run This Town chapter.  I had also noticed periodically discount codes on their Facebook page as well as in various other race packets.  I believe I paid around $40 for the event, which in my opinion is very reasonable for a mid distance race with a tech tee and finisher's medal.  Registration was through www.runsignup.com, and if you already have an account through that site, signing up for the even is incredibly simple.  I also signed up my kiddos for the FREE kid's run and they recieved their very own race bag and t-shirt.

Packet Pick Up
They offered packet pick up at Academy Sports in Lake Mary on Friday and Saturday before the race, as well as race morning.  I was able to attend the Saturday one and thanks to the store coupon in my packet, I was also able to do a little shopping ;-)  The shirt, in my opinion, is pretty ugly.  I'm not usually a fan of the white shirts, and the design is a little plain and strange.  Also, it's a women's fitted so of course on my Amazon self, it is way too short.  Probably won't get to wear, nor do I really want to.  But oh well, I have an abundance of race shirts, so I'm bound to have some bad ones here and there.

Driving and Parking
Sanford is about 30 minutes from me, and mostly interstate driving, so getting to the location was fairly simple.  They had sent out several emails leading up to the event indicating road closures as well as where we can park.  Not being too familiar with the area and nervous about enough parking, I got there a little over an hour early.  I had no problem finding a parking spot at the lot the website and emails had suggested, in fact I could have parked even a little closer in some of the side street spots.

Pre-Race
The sun wasn't up when I got there, so it was cold and dark.  They were still getting set up in the expo area but they did have the registration and packet pick up table set up as well as a tent with coffee and donuts, whoohoo.  Since the race expo was being held at Fort Mellon Park, we did have access to the public restrooms there, and I tell you what, it was so nice to get to use an actually bathroom!  It is the little things that make us runners giddy.  There were also several port-a-potties available on the other side of the expo, but most preferred the well-light and clean restrooms.  Though they were still preparing for all the post race festivities, they DJ was in full effect blasting out upbeat dance music over the loud speaking and making race announcements.

I was able to meet up with several of my MRTT mamas before the race for pictures.  Because we were right on the waterfront, it was windy and cold for us Floridians, so we were all bundled up together!

Freezing MRTT mamas!

The Race
The race started right on time just as the sun was coming up.  It hadn't really warmed up much and the first couple of miles we dealt with a solid headwind.  We ran along the water then through downtown Sanford, on brick streets (which I'm not a huge fan of but it was for such a short period of time).  There were two sharp turns shortly after the first mile and we were on a straight away for the next several miles.  These miles were all along the waterfront, which was absolutely beautiful.  The sun was coming up and there wasn't much shade, but on the way out it was perfect since it helped warm us up and make the headwind feel less bad.  The road was on a slant (to the right on the way out, left on the way back) which was a little uncomfortable, but luckily it was straight and there were no hills.  I felt like I was able to keep a good 7:25 pace on the way out.

They had us turn around at the zoo around mile 4.5.  Knowing it was an out and back course, I now knew exactly what to expect on the way back.  The sun had really come up by this point and it was nice and bright in my face.  It was was warm though, so I appreciated that!  After the turn around, I was able to see a lot of my friends out there running too!  I was handing out cheers and high fives left and right, it was a blast!

From miles 6ish-8ish, I had passed most of the runners coming up on my opposite side and there really wasn't much runners in front or behind at this point, so I got a little lonely.  But I had his a good stride from the excitement of seeing all my friends out there and had managed to keep it up.  By this point, I was holding on to a steady 7:21 pace.

Around mile 8, we did our turn to get back into downtown and on the brick.  There was a hydration station there and the folks volunteering were hooting and hollering for us since we were almost there!  After leaving the brick and closing in on the 9th mile, I tried to kick it into high gear.  But as we rounded the corner to return to the water front and finish that last .3 miles, BAM came the headwind again!  I was like The Little Engine That Could at this point.  "I think I can, I think I can" With all my might I thought I could sprint through to the finish line, but that dadgum wind had other plans for me. I gave it my all and still came in pretty strong with a finish time of 1:08:38, average pace 7:21 and second place in my division.  My goal was to get a sub 1:10, which would have required sub 7:30 minute per mile average, so I was ore than pleased with my performance.

Exciting to run into old friends at these events!

The After Party
As far as smaller, local races go, this one had a pretty impressive little after party.  It's very well organized in a large loop in the open park.  They had beer in real plastic cups, not solo cups (pretty classy), pancakes for the runners to enjoy, music bumping and plenty of vendors with freebies.  They stuck to pretty close to their projected schedule of having the kid's run on time and handing out the awards.  The fact that the sun was shining bright, the temps were cool and we were right on the beautiful waterfront certainly helped the ambiance as well.

Results for the race were posted at the event shortly after the race and posted online later that day.  Pictures for the event were made available for purchase through www.chessiephoto.com within two days of the race and we were even offered a discount code for purchases made within the week!

Yey for new runner friends made along the course!

Final Thoughts
Just to recap, here are a few pros and cons...

Pros
Well organized
Easy to get to and park at
Same day registration and packet pick up
Cute medal (for both 15k and 5k)
Good after party
Stuck to the schedule
Flat, fast course that was very scenic

Cons
Ugly shirt
Slight lateral slant to the course
Not much crowd support for those who enjoy that
No finish line photos

All in all I would say it was a great event that I highly recommend. Definitely think this will become a yearly event for me and hopefully I can shoot for a sub 1:08 next year!