Meet the GFR team

Here are the pictures that we took the other day at the YMCA.  It was quite fitting that we did our "photo shoot" there because that is where we all met.  A few years ago we may have exchanged words on the treadmills, in a Spin class, or dropping off kids in tot watch.  We saw each other training on the road, on the bike, and even in Lake Geneva.  We finally joined together to train, share laughs, share tears and share firsts and PRs.

We will further challenge ourselves May 28th at the Bayshore races:
Deirdre: tackling her first marathon
Peg:  getting that coveted BQ that got stolen from her in Chicago
Kim: hoping to get as close to the 4 hour mark and as far away from the 4 1/2 hour mark as she can get!
Dave: our speedy 5Ker looking to finish his first 1/2 marathon without going out too fast
Sara: running the half marathon SUB 2 hours.  come hell or high water.
Zach: after a less than pleasant marathon experience last year, looking to redeem himself in the half
Lisa: busting out a PR 10K OR quickly changing her mind and running the half

6 more weeks.  BRING IT.

(L to R): Dave, Sara, Deirdre, Lisa, Peg, Kim and Zach

look at that amazing form.

I am an addict!!!

So the verdict is in I am an addict with my watch. I thought I would try something new on Thursday night. I told myself "self there will be no looking at the watch, you may peek at it only to see the distance." Off I went down Airport Rd feeling so good. I was focusing on my cadence and mid foot hitting. Then I focused on my hands and arms for a while. I was thinking geez I feel pretty darn good I have to be getting close to 5 miles but I am not looking at the watch. My brain was now focused on my friends...Eminem, Metallica, Journey, Usher you know the normal peeps I run with. Then it was the town hill...where I normally slow down...I thought "lets go bitch" (excuse my language) I honestly knew I need to fatigue my legs and keep my pace up whatever that maybe. So I thought of Mike talking my form to me and boom the town hill was over and I felt like I did not slow down I am sure I did though. I finally peeked at my watch and it said 7.2 I thought ok at 7.5 I am going to stop and stretch for like 30 seconds...so I did! A mile and half to go and I can look at my watch. You can do it dont look at the pace. I ran and ran I got to the end of my driveway and hit stop and looked omg....no way no way an 8:30 pace! I have NEVER EVER ran that fast for 9 miles. I think the moral of this story is I will not be looking at my watch and it really allowed my to think of my form and just run.....sara

too lazy to post twice!

read up about our experience at the Martian 1/2 marathon:

www.justanotherrunningdiva.blogspot.com

did I think about form?  um.  maybe once or twice.  when i was not thinking "omigod.  i am running too fast.  i can't keep this up for 13.1. omigod" or "holy crap.  this course is longer than 13.1.  what the...?".
seriously, i did think about my lean and was more conscious of it when i was tired. once i did lean (at my ankles mind you) i felt more power to press on.

needless to say, 26.2 will be much slower than 13.1.  er, 13.4.

The Martian Half....13.1 no it was 13.52

I ran my hardest I gave it my all and yet again I came in just under 2! On an awesome note it was my fastest one. I new at my 11 I could not do it bc of the distance discrepency. I got a bit upset so I of course was tired and thought "forget it I can do it" and yes I fricken stopped and walked....ugh! I am hating myself this morning. That is where I lost my 1:31 minute. SARA WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??? I feel like my form was good. I will be honest I was not thinking much about the form. I was so flipping focused on my time. Dont go to fast dont go to slow...I would look at it about every half mile. I would be running an 8 and would say slow down sister..then it was a 9:10. I honestly think the problem is the watch....so bye bye watch! I love you but I am obsessed with you. I really want to go to Kalamzoo May 8th and run that one...and of course Bayshore. My legs were spent at my 11 so for the next few weeks my focus is going to be lunges front and back, squats...all sorts of them, leg presses did I mention lunges and squats!!! So yes my focus is to get these legs a bit stronger. I love a half marathon...I love my running friends what more could a girl ask for!

Hills

Sunday was our lucky day! HILLS!
We met at Playmakers early Sunday morning, which felt even earlier due to that time change thing. Mike greeted us with a big smile and one word "hills."
I am sure there are some runners who embrace hills, who love them and power up them. I am not one of those. I have merely accepted them as you can not go anywhere in DeWitt without encountering them. But I do not love them.
Sunday Mike had a different take on hills. We did not talk much about how to run up hills, but how to run down hills. Huh? What's the big deal about running down hills? You just go with it. Little did I know. So we eagerly learned about not leaning backward and landing mid-foot. If you land on your heel, it is like you are braking and adding extra stress on your joints.
So we ran an easy 2 miles out to the secret hill. We ran THE hill 3 times, took a break and ran it 3 more times while Hannah video taped us. Mike ran with us and gave us tips while we ran: "Land mid-foot," "Don't lean back so much," "Relax," "Fix your sloppy left hand."
Afterward we ran back to Playmakers to watch the video. We were all amazed at how much better our form has gotten since we started. We talked about a few things to work on over the next 2 weeks and left with our minds a buzz with this new hill strategy.
So yesterday afternoon, I had a scarce half hour before my babysitter had to leave for lacrosse practice. I went out for a quick 3 miles (yes, under 30 minutes is a quick 3 miles for me. I am not one of the speedy ones!) On my route I had a few good downhills (uphills too...) I focused on my sloppy left hand and landing mid-foot. I also focused on relaxing my head and shoulders and just letting gravity do the work. It was such an awesome feeling that I ran past my house to get one more downhill in. I felt like I was flying!
It really was cool. Perhaps I am on my way to embracing hills not for the uphill portion but for the feeling of flying on the other side.

What Kim said...

14 miles for me too. That wind was brutal. I think DeWitt has some sort of swirling vortex in its little self contained atmosphere. Must be all those lakes generating winds from all directions. It always seems that 3 out of the 4 possible directions you have wind blowing in your face. And yesterday was no different.
What did I learn on this run?
1) Running is mental. On many levels! As I ran westbound on Clark Road and was brought to a near standstill by the wind, I thought I will NEVER finish 14 miles today. I promised myself, if I get to Schavey the wind won't be that bad and then I can make it to the Y and get a drink and a potty break and I'll do at least 12 (no choice, otherwise I wouldn't get home). So I pressed on, slow, but still moving.
2) When running more than 10 or maybe less, bring GU or something for energy. At mile 7, I see a familiar car and the beautiful smiling faces of Kim and Peg. I thought they were just stopping to say hi and encourage me. But no, they gave me much more! They stopped and offered me a lemon lime GU (Favorite!) and water. Ladies, you were definitely at the right place at the right time.
3) Running friends are awesome! Soon after I saw Kim and Peg (who I will sing praises for again), I ran into Amy V. Dear girl was running 18. God bless her! She looked great. It was awesome to see her smiling too. We gave each other some encouragement and ran on to complete our routes. Kim and Peg (did I mention how wonderful they are...) also dropped a water bottle for me on my route. The water was like a sweet nectar at mile 11 left by the lovely running divas. When I was thinking that 12 would be plenty, this gave me a little mental boost to complete the full 14. It's just 3 more miles (I remember when 3 was my long run). I got some water, some good friends, I can do it.
4) Shamrock shakes are really good after 14 miles.
5) The wind can't bring me down. It may stink, but it can't stop me. HA!

I hate the wind

So as a general rule:  When you run in 20+ mph wind gusts for 14 miles, can you actually record your mileage as longer?  I mean, really.  I was in for grand illusions today on this morning's run on the River Trail.  Earlier this week I looked at the weather forecast and saw a little sun with a cloud so I figured, hey, looking pretty good.  I even saw a high of 40 degrees.  Sure beats running in the cold freezing drizzle Lisa, Sara and Michelle had to run in Wednesday, right?
Humph.  As I drove throughout DeWitt, playing taxi cab to my children and some others I collected along the way, I noticed the trees a-swaying.  And the flags a-whipping.  And the temperature?  30 degrees.  And the sunshine?  Nowhere to be found behind those dark, grey clouds. Did I even have anything to cover my ears?
Arriving at the trail,  Peg, Staci and I hesitated to get out of the shelter of my Acadia. With much trepidation we began our run, at times at a virtual stand still because of the wind.  And it seemed even when we turned around (thinking that wind would be pushing our behinds back to the car) the wind still whipped in our faces.  But, we got her done...even ran it at a pretty fair clip.  Probably because we wanted to get the blessed thing over and done with.  Our get that Bigby coffee we fantasized about for the last 7 miles...
And Bigby coffee in hand we came upon Deirdre at her halfway point in Dewitt.  I felt so sorry for her b/c she was at 7 miles and battling that stupid wind like we were.  Hopefully the GU and water we offered her gave her the jolt she needed to get her done too.
Good job ladies for 14 miles completed in the elements.  For some of us in freezing rain.  For some of us in gusting winds.  I don't know about you all, but I recording 16 miles for today :)